It's My Precious Life
by WtfSmut
Summary: After Rin runs off from a mission, he stumbles upon an infant in the forest. Yukio wants to hand the infant over to the Vatican, but Rin has other plans. With a savage demon on the loose, join Rin as he fights to protect the small life he calls his own.
1. Repaint Destiny

**Author's Note:** What is this! – An actual story? I thought I was only good for smutty one-shots. Well, review and whatnot. Let me know if it's good or if I should just stick to the one-shots.

* * *

Repaint Destiny

A stampede of feet trudged through the darkening forest; a strong voice calling and shouting demands over the crowd of uniformed men. "We need to search the entire area – make sure no leaf is left unturned!" The group of eight or so shouted their understanding, and began slightly parting ways. All of the men sported black peacoat-styled jackets that fell to their ankles. The big, clanking boots that protected their feet snapped twigs in half and left footprints in the drying mud, the aftermath of an earlier rain shower. Some of the men carried prayer beads while others carried more practical and direct weapons such as guns and canisters of concentrated Holy Water. The brown satchels that snaked around their waists held the ammunition they would need for the mission at hand.

Everyone was scanning and searching the dark forest, trying to adjust their eyes and see past the black veil of night. A soft breeze rustled the multi-coloured leaves of the trees, causing everyone to slightly twitch. The tension in the air rose with every turn the exorcism members made, every brown structure their eyes scanned behind and around, and every light footstep taken. The stillness of the woods rang shrilly in everyone's ears. Every person out tonight was exactly the same – dressed the same, thinking the same, acting the same, and hoping for the same.

Well, everybody but one that is.

"_Yukio_," a voice loudly sighed in agitation, "we've been at this for hours now! I thought you said this was gonna be _fun._ I'd actually rather be studying right now."

Everyone jumped at the piercing sound and spun around to shush the disturbance. The younger of the Okumura twins clutched the bridge of his nose under his glasses and exhaled. In a much quieter tone than his brother had used, Yukio answered, "You forget, Rin, that you invited yourself here. Your delusions are getting the best of that tiny brain of yours again."

Rin put on his most offended face. "My brain is not tiny – it's regular size!" The dark-haired teen slung his sword horizontally over his shoulders and draped his arms over its red covering in a very relaxed manner.

"You're not even dressed to be out here right now." Yukio commented, observing his twin's long-sleeved grey sweater with True Cross Academy printed across the chest and his black jeans.

"Yeah, but I bet I'm a lot more comfortable than you are right now." Rin retorted, sticking his tongue out and cracking a mocking smile. The younger twin just sighed again, knowing it was pointless to argue with his brother.

"You would think after years of being at this school, you'd realize when you aren't welcomed on a mission." Yukio then spun back around to face the other annoyed Exorcists and held his gun back up. "If you must be here, then please keep quiet. We don't want to give away our position."

"How do you even know there's a demon out here? We've probably covered this whole damn forest three times already!"

Yukio glanced at the watch on his wrist before directing his gaze back to the blackened area. "Rin, it's been twenty minutes – thirty at the most."

Some of the other teammates snickered at the eldest twin's lack of patience, causing him to blush slightly. "Bah, whatever." Rin spat. He turned on his heels and started walking in a different direction. "I'll go out and find that demon myself. Then you'll all see what a waste of time tip-toeing around is!"

"Wait," an Exorcist with long brown hair called before turning to Yukio, "do you think that's safe?"

"Oh, he'll be fine, Hamada-san." The young Exorcist answered with a slight smile. "He'll realize soon enough that it's more boring to go out by himself than it is with a group of people. Besides, if he does happen to find anything, we'll be able to see his flames, so we'll know right where he is."

A few moments ticked by before Hamada-san nodded his head in agreement. Yukio had a feeling that Rin's safety wasn't what Hamada-san was asking about. Ever since it was revealed about three years ago that Rin was the son of Satan, most of the Exorcist community have been on edge. _No matter how long Rin is around for, no one will ever get used to his presence,_ Yukio thought bitterly, though he quickly swallowed his irritation.

"Let's stay on task, here, people." The leader, Kobayashi-san, chastised. "This demon isn't going to find itself."

The other members of the group hummed in agreement and turned their attention back to the pitch-black trees. Some had taken to using flashlights to guide their way around now, while others chose to stay more discreet and hide back in the shadows.

Yukio replayed the string of information he received from his superior earlier that day to himself, making sure not one single detail was forgotten._ Right,_ Yukio concentrated as he stepped forward with the rest of the clan, _the demon. Spotted a few times by the neighbouring cities, this demon seems to have taken refuge in the forest on the outskirts of town. It's been feeding on the farms' goats and sheep and even tried attacking one of the residents there. May be mid to high level ranking._

It seemed to be taking forever for the team to cover the forest. It would be another sleepless night, the young Exorcist realized.

Just then, something rustled in a nearby bush. Almost instantly, one of the men closest to the plant was grabbed by his ankle and pulled under. Without a moment's hesitation, the Exorcism team jumped into action; firing randomly at where they thought the assailant may be, throwing concentrated Holy Water grenades, and sending forth written sutras in hopes to subdue the unknown perpetrator. The group could hear the screams of the stolen man grow in volume. Kobayashi-san called out the poor man's name while summoning up his own demon Familiar – a snarling, angry looking beast swirled from the chilly air, almost like a cross between a wolf and a bear. It stood on four strong legs with big black claws protruding from its toes. Kobayashi-san gave the order to attack and the Familiar obediently followed. He charged forth, paws digging into the ground and kicking up dirt as he lunged in the direction the leader was pointing at.

It leapt at the unknown attacker, growling and howling as it lashed out. The confrontation didn't last long, however, as the Familiar was easily thrown aside. The Familiar flew through the air, only stopping when it crashed through a tree, snapping it in half, and landing on the ground. The bear-wolf demon fizzled for a moment before completely dissipating into the air.

Yukio, as well as two other men, ran towards the screams. Just as they got close, a horrible _crunch_ echoed through the forest, causing everything to go silent. The rustling brush of tall bushes went still as an eerie gust of wind swayed the trees and sent a shiver down Yukio's spine.

Ever so slowly, a form stepped from its hiding place. It raised a pale, black-clawed hand and wiped at the red substance staining its equally pale face. The light of the rising moon amplified the silver of the being's hair, giving it an unnerving angelic glow as he ran his fingers through its short, curly demeanor.

The clothing that adorned his body was nothing short of old-fashioned. A black, three-buttoned vest fit snuggly over the loose long-sleeved shirt that cascaded over the hem of the black dress pants he wore. Simply put, he looked like a regal butler.

"Well, well," the thing spoke playfully, "you humans seem a little upset. Oh, I do hope I haven't angered you any by having a little taste of your friend." The demons pupils were pinpricks of black against the vivid yellow of his irises as he scanned each remaining Exorcist up and down. He then chuckled darkly after licking the last bit of innocent blood from his fingers.

"Who are you?" Hamada-san called out, brandishing his prayer beads and a Holy Water grenade. The Exorcists stepped backwards when the demon walked further from the bush where the dead body now laid.

"Who am I, you ask? Don't tell me you came all the way out here just to see me?" His cheeky smile revealed the sharp, jagged teeth that decorated his mouth. "Well now, don't I feel important."

"Stop screwing around and tell us why you're here!" Kobayashi-san ordered. Yukio and the remaining five all gave the demon stern but unwavering looks as they poised their weapons.

"Oh dear me, what a mess I'm making." The demon purred. He cupped his bent elbow and leaned his head nonchalantly onto his fist. His piercing eyes scrunched into slits in contemplation for a minute or two, before placing a hand on his chest and bowing politely. He cleared his throat and spoke as if he were welcoming guests into his home. "Please to meet you! I am Baš Čelik. I came to this land in search of enough food for my growing family."

"What?" Several members called out.

Kobayashi-san repeated what the demon had said. "_Growing family?"_

Baš Čelik, still bowing, raised his head and smiled wickedly at the cluster of men, baring all of his pointed teeth. "Oh, yes. You see, I have been a busy man lately."

* * *

"Stupid Yukio." Rin pouted and stomped his way through the thicket. "Does he always have to embarrass me? I mean, really, everyone already knows he's smarter than me, so he doesn't have to rub it in!" The almost eighteen-year-old immaturely ranted as he treaded heavily through the forest, purposely stepping on branches and kicking useless rocks. "He never asks for my help anymore - not even with small stuff like laundry or keeping the dorm clean." Rin's face took on a solemn expression, leaning his back against a nearby tree and folding his arms. "And he wonders why I'm always following him on missions. This is our last year at True Cross Academy… and after this, who knows where we'll be going. Yukio will still be teaching here while attending college, but what about me? I won't be able to stay here… and I'm definitely _not_ cut out for college – I was barely cut out for middle school." The spawn of Satan took a deep breath and exhaled, looking up towards the moonlit sky. "Yukio… what am I gonna do without you?"

The cool breeze of September grazed across his face. Oh, how he wished all of his worries and troubles could be swept away by the wind just like the dead leaves from the trees. The dark-haired teen smiled weakly up at the night sky as the moon's rays caressed his face in a comforting manner. _If only he needed my help… if only he needed _me_, like I need _him_…_

A shriek penetrated Rin's thoughts. He jumped at the sound while it drilled into his ears and made his blood run cold. It wasn't long before Rin started off in the direction of the cry, not thinking for one moment whether or not it was a smart move. But that was Rin – never thinking, only acting.

The shrieking definitely belonged to a woman, the teen decided. And if a woman was out here, especially with a demon potentially on the loose, then she was in some _serious_ danger. As another scream echoed in Satan's son's ears, he couldn't help but yell out, "Hold on, I'm coming!"

* * *

Multiple rounds of gunfire left Yukio's gun as Baš Čelik charged from side to side, lashing out at him and the other members. One swift kick and one miscalculated move later, and an Aria chanter was sent flying into the air. He collided with the ground in a mess of limbs and disturbed leaves, Baš Čelik not too far behind. The short, silvery hair of the high ranking demon bounced and flowed happily while he leaned down to take a bite of his next victim, only to be caught off guard when said Aria ignited a Holy Water grenade in his face. The demon reeled backwards, letting forth a piercing scream when the purified liquid burned his flesh. Yukio wasted no time and cocked the hammer of his gun. He pulled the trigger once, twice, three times, but didn't stop there. Before he knew it, he had emptied an entire cartridge. The young Exorcist quickly dispelled the unit from his weapon, grabbed another from the brown carrier around his waist, and reloaded.

Little blotches of red dotted Baš Čelik's white shirt and face where the bullets had hit their marks. The demon's yellow eyes rolled over to see who had fired the shots and was met with the glasses-clad ones of the brunet. He darted forth and slammed his fist into the tall Exorcist's gut.

It felt like the air had completely left Yukio's lungs. He dropped his gun to clutch at his stomach instead, feeling like his throat was swollen shut. Baš Čelik snatched up a fistful of dark-brown hair and glared at the boy who dared to use such lethal methods against himself. With fangs bared, the foe gave a low threatening _hiss_.

Sutra scrolls stuck to the demon's face, attracted like a magnet to a metal surface. With little bolts of electricity, the sutras sizzled and sparked on Baš Čelik's skin just as the Holy Water had done. The sutras began draining the powerful demon of his energy in a blistering mess of burning flesh. The white-haired demon released his grip on the tuft of brown and backed away, screeching in pain. It wasn't long before the demon yanked the kanji-printed papers from his skin; the sound almost reminiscent to that of tearing meat.

Baš Čelik swiveled his golden irises over the wounded, well-armed, men of the Exorcism group, grasping at the long, rectangular burn marks on his face. "I-It seems… I am still too weak…" The high-grade monster quivered out. "I must replenish my energy more before going out and causing trouble…"

With one, final, bout of energy, Baš Čelik split the backing of his shirt open to reveal cool-black wings that immediately began flapping, the tips of which were pointy, horn-like appendages.

"Follow him!" Kobayashi-san shouted when the fiend took flight. All of the remaining Exorcist members gave chase to evil presence at hand.

* * *

Rin followed the screaming as it got louder and louder. The only thing on his mind at this moment was to save whoever was hurting. "Hang on!" Rin shouted again, weeding his way through a thick bundle of tall bushes. The branches poked and jabbed at his limbs and face, sometimes digging in and drawing miniscule traces of blood. The sword on his back, held to his form by an abundant, blue cord, jiggled and swayed from side to side as the teen sprinted through the thicket.

Without warning, Rin found himself falling onto his face, the green leaves of the bushes no longer blocking his view. The area he had fallen into seemed like a small campground. A fire pit sat in the middle of it all. Observing the makeshift home, Rin noticed the few articles of clothing and garments settled around the place.

And then the demon offspring noticed something else.

The screaming had stopped.

Rin glanced about, trying to find the source of the pained cries he heard earlier. "Where are you?" He called out lightly. The question hung in the air, soundless as the wind itself. The aura settled into a spooky tone the longer the dark-haired teen waited for an answer. He started to feel like he was trespassing on somebody's private property.

Just as Rin was about to turn around and head back to the Exorcist group and report what he found, a small noise caused him to stop. It was like the squeak of a mouse… only, it wasn't. Maybe more like the tweet of a bird? The mewl of a kitten?

The whining increased to a crying, the crying increased to a wailing. The seventeen-year-old listened for where the high pitched bawling was coming from. He drew closer and closer to the sound, eventually coming to an old tree; the base of which split open in some kind of triangle-like entrance way. Rin peered inside the hollowed out foundation of the large oak, scrutinizing the contents, trying to find the source of all the noise.

What he saw made him spin back around and plaster his hand over his mouth. The teen wanted to vomit. No matter how many times he'd been on missions, no matter how many times he'd been forced to do battle with evil foes, and no matter how many times he'd been mortally wounded – nothing had prepared him for the horrific sight inside one of Mother Nature's gifts to the human race. Rin's eyes stood wide and unfocused as the image burned into his mind like the brand on a steer's thigh.

And it was that high-pitched crying that brought the demonic spawn back to his senses. That blood-curdling, almost petrifying, crying. It resonated in Rin's pointed ears, assaulting his brain and adding an awful feeling to the entire area around him.

A gust of wind chilled the demon to his core, making the mysterious person inside the hallowed base of the tree cry even louder. _H… He's cold,_ Rin finally pieced together. _I-I can't…_

Hesitating more than he had ever hesitated before, the shaking, repulsed male slowly – _ever so slowly_ – tried to prepare himself for the sight he would have to face once again.

With his eyes closed, Rin slipped through the entrance and stepped carefully inside. The instant his head was through the passageway, the smell of fresh blood was so intense that it stung his nose and made his eyes water. Rin didn't want to open his eyes, but _God forbid_ he reach forth and stick his hand in something other than his intended object. "Q…Quiet down, now…" Rin squeaked out, not sure what else to say. Even in his later teens, the boy still found his voice cracking every now and then. The spawn of Satan wanted to press his hands against the sides of his head to drown out the insistent crying; it hurt his sensitive ears even more now that he was in a smaller place.

"_Please._" A weak voice rasped out through the wailing. Dark hair flipped to the side as Rin started – he jerked his eyes open at the sound, regretting the action immediately.

A woman's body lay on the cold ground. A mixture of blood and dirt smeared her creamy, pale skin and leaked into the soil below. Her once pink shirt was hiked up below her breasts and also soaked with her bodily fluids. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was her mid-section that Rin refused to look at. He, instead, kept his attention fixated on the woman's unfocused and glazed eyes. Her quivering mouth tried to form the words, although it was apparent that her body was going into shock. "Please." She finally forced out, again. "Help him." Rin glanced at the wailing form squirming in her midsection quickly before looking at the sunken brown eyes of the young mother once more. "_Help him._"

The light left her eyes before she finally went still.

The only other time Rin had to experience the death of a human up close and personal was with his adoptive father. Though this woman had no sentimental value to the dark-haired teen, the feeling was all the same. Death was death – it was so final, so unforgiving. Rin never wanted _anything_ to die, or _anybody_, for that matter.

This woman… using her last final breath to call forth to a total stranger, asking, begging, for them to help. And not to help herself in the slightest; she wanted them to help the crying being wiggling and twisting inside her exposed abdominal area.

Rin didn't even know what he was doing anymore. It was as though his body had turned into a mechanical robot, running on autopilot. The boy removed his sword, keeping it by his side, and slipped off his oversized, grey sweater. Goosebumps ran up and down his exposed forearms as he felt the full effect of the chilly night air. "You must be freezing." Rin spoke up. His voice trembled and his eyes stung while he reluctantly reached forth to pull the blood-drenched baby from the torn, ripped skin. The baby seemed to quiet its screaming at the first touch of Rin's warm hands. The disgusting sucking noise said action emitted was enough to have Rin dry heaving. Nonetheless, he laid the child down onto his sweater, and wrapped him up nice and tight. The blood on his hands smeared onto the grey True Cross shirt, along with the blood the child was covered in.

Rin gazed down at the baby, halting his actions for a moment. _What am I doing,_ Rin thought. _This is insane… I… I can't be serious right now…_ Looking back at the mother, Rin felt his heart sink lower into the melancholy sea that flooded his chest. _To have died… alone and in pain in such a place, with no guarantee that things would get better… no one to hold your hand and tell you it would be alright…_

_Could… could this have been what it was like for my mother, too?_

"_Then why don't you try showing me just how much you've grown up, huh?"_ Shirou's advice from long, long ago bellowed through his head like the fog horn on a ship._ "Rin, use your strength for someone else… for a gentler purpose."_

"_**Help him."**_

The broken-hearted male snatched the child in his warm arms and gave him a gentle squeeze. The baby's crying and sobbing had ceased completely at the sudden embrace. Rin couldn't help himself anymore; he let his tears spill over and down his cheeks, soaking into the sweater and turning the spots a darker grey. "Don't worry." His shaking voice cooed as best it could and he rubbed the baby's back. "I'll help you. I'll _help you_." He lifted the hood of the jacket up to protect the infant's head from the cold wind. He then glanced over to the woman who lost her life and closed her eyes. "Rest peacefully now." The teen whispered, his eyes hidden under his bangs. "I'll protect him. I promise."

Before venturing off into the forest, Rin gave one last quick bow and slipped the chord of his sword over his shoulders with one hand. He did not run, for fear of hurting the small life form curled on his chest. He walked as fast as he thought was acceptable through the trees, ready to fight off any and all foes that got in the way.

He left the campgrounds a silent mess of blood and tears. The area returned to the solemn stillness it was before the spawn of Satan had arrived. The owls gave their somber calls, like the soft whistling of a conch shell being blown. It was almost like the last song before a memorial service ends and everybody says their final goodbyes before proceeding home.

The crickets chirped and the cicadas buzzed around the desolate land –

Until a dark form eclipsed the moon for a short moment, then fell from the sky and landed with an earth-shaking tremor. Without hesitation, the man retracted the dark wings protruding from his back and ran towards the giant oak tree. His body disappeared into the blackened entrance way just as a group of uniformed men broke from the thicket and rushed forwards.

They all stood poised, weapons raised to continue the fight that had transpired before. They waited for the monster to make his presence known once again.

It didn't take long; the demon's hand clutched the side of the entryway and pulled his body outside. The silvery shade of his hair, once illuminated by the moonlight, now carried a dismal sheen. It hung over his forehead, shadowing his yellow eyes from the crew of Exorcists standing in front of him. "Its gone…" He whispered, voice drifting into the harsh wind that picked up and swirled around the demon.

"Give up, now!" The leader of the group shouted.

In one, powerful burst of air, the demon let forth a howl that shook the leaves on the trees and frightened all of the neighbouring creatures that resided in the woods. "She's dead," he silently claimed, "and its gone… my plans, ruined." Fists clenched at his sides, Baš Čelik looked to the men in front of him and watched as they ran forwards. One brunet in particular brandished his guns and fired specialized silver-cased, blessed bullets in his direction while another summoned the same type of bear-wolf creature from earlier. Two others held a thick net with unusual looking scriptures and symbols painted onto the white spheres that graces the bottom of it.

Baš Čelik noted his own shallow breathing while perceiving the approaching Exorcists. They seemed to have a vast supply of energy pushing them to finish the demon off as quickly as possible – even after taking one of the damned nuisances out of the equation.

_I… I don't have enough strength…_ Baš Čelik contemplated, sad eyes turned skyward. _It seems… I will have to go back into hiding._ Closing his eyes and basking in the light of the moon, the pale, bloody, burned demon listlessly opened his wings once more and took to the skies; a few bullets striking here and there, and the summoned Familiar taking a bite out of his leg and swiftly ripping the fabric of his black pants.

The seven Exorcists still on the ground sent a round of vigorous attacks in the evil foe's direction. The giant net was thrown upwards in a sad attempt at catching the perpetrator, but fell as Baš Čelik's ominous wings gave a mighty flap, pushing the meshwork away in a blast of air. The creature soared up into the darkness, flying higher until he had passed the grey clouds rolling in.

"Sir, we've lost sight of him!" An Aria expert by the name of Noboru-san exclaimed. "Shall we proceed anyway?"

A moment or two of contemplation, and the leader of the group called back his Familiar, who disappeared in a puff of smoke. "No," he huffed, exhausted from battle, "the demon is a much higher level than expected. We need to report what happened here and call in specialists." Most of the group members, including Yukio, lowered their defenses and relaxed their bodies as the leader went on. "Baš Čelik obviously had some sort of attachment to this area if he ran here first. Canvass this area, gather whatever you can, while I make some calls."

The other group members called out their understandings. They then proceeded to take out their flashlights and scan over the ground, looking for anything of interest. Kobayashi-san took out a thin rectangle from inside his pocket, dialed a few numbers, and put it to his ear. As he began talking to whoever was on the other end of the phone call, Yukio and the long brown-haired Hamada-san walked towards the biggest tree in the small campground. "He seemed to go in here for a minute." Hamada-san commented.

"Yes." Yukio answered, peering around at the outside of the base for anything significant. The grass looked crushed, as if someone had recently been walking around outside of it. "The demon was saying something," the brunet thought aloud, grabbing his chin and staring at the pattern of squished grass leading away from the camp and towards a bundle of trees and bushes, "but with all the commotion, I couldn't hear what it was."

Yukio kneeled down to observe the footprints a little closer. Reaching out a hand to lightly touch the indentations, the young male noted how the crinkled grass was still wet, indicating that they were freshly made tracks, perhaps no older than half an hour. After a quick hum, Yukio averted his gaze, brushing off the strange outlines as nothing more than the footprints of the Baš Čelik.

"_Oh my God_." Hamada-san deadpanned. The youngest Exorcist in the group stood and turned his head towards his teammate.

"What is it? Did you find something?" Yukio questioned. The teen looked over to Hamada-san, who currently had his eyes fixated upon something inside the opening of the tree; his expression portrayed a mixture of shock and disgust and made Yukio's stomach clench with unease. "Hey, Hamada-san," Yukio said and grabbed his friend's shoulder, "snap out of it. What's wrong?"

His question was answered only when he, too, turned his head and caught sight of what exactly laid within the chambers of the hollowed out tree. The hooting of the owls grew in intensity and the crickets chirped ten times louder as Yukio fell victim to the sight of torn flesh and spilled blood. However, he was able to swallow his emotions better than his counterpart, and in a few moments, he was calling out the leader's name and telling him to come take a look.

"Good Lord." The Chief of the group gaped. His eyes roamed over the deformed, mutilated body that lay in the middle of the makeshift cave. "Is this what the demon was after?"

"I don't know, Sir." Yukio responded as he sat his traumatized friend down with his back up against the oak tree.

Kobayashi-san placed his hand on his mouth and pulled downwards in a thoughtful jester. "Perhaps… it was one of his 'meals'?"

"I would understand why you would think that." The teen grabbed Hamada-san's wrist and checked his heart-rate, "But why would he tear open the abdomen and spill so much blood? A demon like Baš Čelik is a carnivore – and by the looks of it, the woman was more damaged than fed upon."

"Yes, yes – I see what you mean. Well, they're sending over specialists to survey the area and collect data. They're also sending out warnings and alerting the surrounding regions to be on the lookout for a black-winged, silver-haired demon calling himself Baš Čelik."

Yukio gave a quick nod of his head before going and checking on the other team members' injuries. Even though the fight was over, it would be a while before the group would be relieved of their duties. They would be questioned – each one of them – most likely several times by several different people. And what was worse, two people were _dead, _one of them being a man with a family of his own_._ Yukio regretfully mourned the loss of life. He always hated it when innocent people had to die, but that was the oath every Exorcist had to take; every person who became specialized in their field of work in Exorcism was aware of this unwritten code. When they go out to fight, they lay their lives on the line. Yukio had seen many people lose their lives, and he was beginning to grow accustomed to it – which was something else he hated dearly.

Sighing again, Yukio tended to the four other Exorcists, awaiting for the experts to arrive. All he wanted right now was to go home, where he hoped Rin was. He just wanted to wrap up in warm blankets, drink a nice, warming cup of tea, and wash away the events that had just transpired.

Yukio really couldn't wait to get back to the nice, quiet dormitory him and his brother shared.

* * *

Birds could be heard singing their morning songs by the time young Yukio stepped through the dormitory door. The darkness that blanketed the night sky had just begun showing signs of brightening up when the brunet was allowed to venture home. These jobs were always long and stressful, however the pay was always good, and he needed it in order to sustain a living.

The only thing Yukio wanted right now was a hot bath. The teen yawned and scratched the back of his head as he trudged up to the second floor where his bedroom was located, his legs feeling like they weighed a ton each. He smiled outwardly while fantasizing about a warm soak in the tub, followed closely by crawling into a warm bed with the only person he really cared about at this point; granted that person was even home. Yukio wasn't really sure where his demonic twin had run off to after he parted from the group. But if Yukio knew Rin at all, the cold forest plus working after hours was not his brother's cup of tea, and had most likely started back to their dorm.

An opening door snapped Yukio out of his current thoughts. He stood in the hall a short distance away from the door that would lead him to the sanctuary that was his bedroom. The person who had made the sound was none other than the one person he wanted to see more than anything; after the night that he had, Yukio just wanted to be with his loved one…

"O-Oh, Yukio!" Rin stammered, obviously surprised. "You're home!"

"Yes, I'm home." Yukio replied and checked his watch. "While I'm glad to see that you made it home safely, I must ask what you're doing awake at five-thirty in the morning – this isn't like you." Yukio walked closer to his brother and scratched the side of his head lethargically.

"W-Well I… couldn't sleep because I was worried about you." Rin half-smiled, trying to seem embarrassed by his statement. When the eldest man noticed his younger twin's advancing movements towards their bedroom, he hastily stepped in front of the door and wrapped his arms around Yukio's neck and held him tight. The action caught the brunet off-guard for a second, but only for a second. It wasn't long after that he followed suit and placed his arms around Rin's back, squeezing their bodies together in a motion that was very familiar to the two.

Yukio pulled back slightly, so that he could press his cold, chapped lips against those of his brother's. Rin happily returned the kiss, pushing towards his brother.

They broke apart soon after and Yukio disconnected their embrace. "I'm going to bathe real quick because I'm filthy. But I'll be in shortly, okay?" Yukio smiled and caressed Rin's cheek. Without waiting for an answer, Yukio proceeded to reach his hand out to slide back their bedroom door, only to be cut off when Rin grabbed Yukio's wrist, startling him a bit.

"Uh – why don't you just go bathe. I'll bring your clothes in to you." The half-breed stammered, laughing lightly. Yukio eyed his brother's faces for a moment or two, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

"Sure." The younger of the two said slowly, glancing from Rin's face, to the door, and back.

"I just did a batch of laundry, and I still have to go through it. You've been working so hard, so just go wash up and I'll bring you some nice clean clothes." Rin tried explaining himself with an earnest smirk.

Yukio relaxed his arm, bringing it back down to his side and softly grinned. "Alright then. Thank you, Rin." He kissed the top of his brother's head and turned to walk down the hall towards the bathrooms.

That is – until a crying noise erupted from behind the closed door. It was a brief noise, however Yukio stopped in his tracks, head spinning back around with confusion written all over his features. "Did you hear that?" He asked.

"_What baby?_" Rin swiftly answered. He then shook his head and re-answered, "Er, I mean, what noise?"

Yukio looked his brother up and down, noting his tense demeanor and how his eyes kept glancing at the door behind his back. "Rin, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on, Yukio." The teen giggled nervously. "You're tired – you're hearing things. Now go take your bath before you start hallucinating too." Rin waved his hand in a "shoo, shoo" motion. Before Rin could register what happened, his younger brother side stepped his form and yanked open the bedroom door. He walked inside the room, eyes darting all over the place, ignoring his brother's frantic pleas and empty promises that everything was alright.

All the commotion had a certain tiny person squirming and whining in protest under the blankets of the youngest twin's bed. Yukio eyed the moving covers, kicked off his shoes, and stalked his way to his bunk.

"Wait, wait, wait," Rin repeated and stood between Yukio and the bed, "now before you get all huffy and crabby – I can explain."

"Rin… _please_ tell me that's not what I think it is." Yukio pointed, almost laughing at the thought of what _could_ be under those white sheets. As the object continued to cry out, Rin stood for a short time, staring at the floor with his index fingers and thumbs pressed together in a guilty manner; almost similar to being caught with your hand in the cookie jar right before dinner. Rin eventually opted to revealing his dirty little secret. Turning slightly, he grabbed the white blanket and slowly peeled it away.

What emerged had Yukio's face changing expressions at record speed – going from shock, to doubt, to horror, uncertainty, disbelief, and back. A black tuft of hair and a pale face poked out from the freshly cleaned blue sweater that it was wrapped up in. Sticking out prominently from its black hair were two tiny horns, tan in colour and rounded at the tips. Its tiny mouth slightly parted as it made its presence known. Rin cradled the child in his arms, supporting its head in the crook of his elbow while whispering calming hushes and cooing for the baby to relax.

Yukio was certainly at a loss for words. There was so much his brain was screaming for him to say, but it was like his mouth disconnected from the rest of his body. Finally, the only word that Yukio could get through was very un-Yukio like. "_Eehhh?_"The sudden noise had the baby crying loudly again in Rin's arms.

"Yukio, you're scaring him!"

"What… What do you mean_ him?_"

Rin replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Well obviously I checked."

"No I mean – I mean, why… how… when…" Yukio took a deep breath, calming his fried nerves before speaking again, "Why do you have a baby here at all?"

The dark-haired teen's face fell at the question, his rocking movements becoming a little slower at the recalled memory. "I heard screaming in the forest after I ditched you guys." Yukio's face relaxed a bit at his brother's sudden serious tone. "I followed it because I thought somebody was in danger – but when I got there, I found this woman… and he was just lying inside her stomach." Rin's eyes burned with the image of the suffering human, her blood splattered everywhere and her insides exposed like they were on display at some kind of sick museum. "I don't know what happened to her, but she asked me to help her baby before she died. So I did."

It didn't take the teen-genius long to put two and two together; the still-wet footprints, his twin's abrupt disappearance instead of trying to find and slay the demon, the mysterious woman, and the empty, gaping wound in her abdomen. "Oh no…" Yukio sighed, taking his dirty glasses off and wiping his sleep deprived eyes.

"What?"

"She wasn't his meal… she was his incubator."

"What are you talking about Yukio?" Rin asked a little more harshly.

"Rin… you have no idea what you've done." Yukio plopped himself down in his desk chair. "We met up with the suspected demon in the forest after you left. He killed one of our teammates and fled. We chased after him and he brought us to a small camping area. He was wounded pretty badly, so he took off and we lost sight of him, but the main point I'm driving at is that that demon was mad about something after entering a hollowed out tree. We couldn't figure out what he was so pissed about – but now I know. What you've got there is his child. I think that's what he was looking for."

The room went silent. Rin looked down to the infant cradled in his forearms, sleeping soundly once more. He sat down on the bed and ran a thumb ever so gently across the baby's face. The immature teen just couldn't hold back the smile spreading across his face. "I'm not stupid Yukio." He finally spoke. "I knew he wasn't human. I mean, the kid's got horns – and a tail. Even I put together that he's a demon."

"Well then, you know what we have to do, right? We have to hand him over to Headquarters."

This, Rin was not expecting. His eyes grew wide in shock as an uneasy feeling quickly spread through his stomach. "What do you mean 'hand him over to Headquarters'? I'm not doing that!"

Yukio gave a harsh, exhausted laugh that jolted his body, shaking his head at his stubborn brother. "We need to give it to them –"

"_He_." Rin interjected.

"Whatever! The point is that it's a danger to us and we need to give it up to Headquarters so they can decide what to do with it! Do you know how much trouble we could get into for harboring a potentially hazardous demon?"

"You and I both know what they'll decide to do with him, Yukio." Rin sneered, "Don't act like they'd actual consider doing anything else."

"That's not our decision to make." Yukio retorted, standing from his seat. His face read one of anger and fatigue.

"_What makes him any different than us?_" Rin shouted to his younger brother. Yukio stopped his arguing for a moment, gazing at his older brother's deep blue irises as he shouted. "His mother begged _me_, a complete stranger, to help her son. Do you know why? Because she loved him. And I said I would help him – and that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna protect him, even if it has to be from people _like you._" The brunet Exorcist noticed a certain spark in his lover's eyes, one that he had never seen before. The way he clutched the child with such a gentle embrace, while at the same time becoming death-grip, was astounding. "The old man did the same for us – and now I'm willing to do the same for another."

That look in Rin's eye – it was immense determination mixed with the vast need to protect. …_Where the hell did that come from_, Yukio mentally pondered.

His brother held the baby to his chest and scowled, ready to defend the infant further if necessary. But those determined eyes were what held Yukio's attention the longest. Rin looked so absolutely sure, more sure than he had ever seemed about anything. "He needs my help. I'm going to help him."

"I can't believe this…" Perhaps it was his sleep deprivation, but Yukio was actually _considering_ letting the thing stay. Although, the first part of his sentence was all Rin needed to hear.

"Did you hear that, little baby," Rin beamed at the sleeping infant, "you get to stay here!" Yukio could've sworn that his brother's eyes were actually shimmering with twinkling stars as he spoke softly to the child.

"For now." Yukio added, undoing his uniform. "It can stay here for now until we figure out what to do with it."

Rin nodded his head in agreement, smiling down at the demonic baby and lightly running his fingers over his horns. They still felt a tad soft to the touch, but definitely harder than when Rin had first touched them.

"Okay… I'm going to wash up now." Yukio yawned before stripping himself completely of the heavy jacket, grabbing some new clothes, and heading for the door.

"Alright, _we'll_ be waiting here." Rin giggled before the door was shut. The brunet teen trudged his way to the bathrooms, shaking his head at his lover's words. _Please let this all be some kind of sick dream_, he pleaded, opening the large wooden door that would lead him to the showers and tubs.

By the time Yukio had finished up with his bath and returned to his sleeping quarters, he found Satan's spawn curled up next the defenseless child of a completely unknown demon, his tail wrapped around the sweater the baby currently inhabited. A swelling feeling erupted in the brunet's chest, almost tickling his ribs at the sight of his brother so protecting of something so defenseless.

However, there was one problem. "Where am I going to sleep?" Yukio deadpanned, eyebrow twitching at the lack of space on his own bed. The sun was peeking out from behind the distant mountains and the birds sang happily outside the window as Yukio tried to figure out a quick solution. He quickly spotted the laundry basket sitting against the wall, clothes wrinkled and hanging over the sides. _Well, I guess Rin wasn't technically lying when he said he was doing laundry. That's probably where the blue sweater came from._ Yukio slid the white bin over to the side of his own bed and fixed the wad of clothes, patting them down to make an indentation not unlike that of a bird's nest.

Next step, somehow pry his twin's tail from around the infant's waist.

Yukio stared down at the unwelcomed guest, sleeping so soundly in _his_ bed with _his_ person of interest. With one eyebrow raised, the young genius anticipated how he was going to pick the child up without disturbing it. One hand planted firmly on top of his head and a frown pulling downwards on his lips, Yukio noted how he had never actually held a baby before in his life. _Rin made it look so easy... _he thought, _and if he can do it, then I'm sure I can too. It can't be that difficult._

Yukio reluctantly reached out his hands, only to pull them back and go at a different angle towards the baby. He repeated this process a few times until he sighed in aggravation and just went for it. Although, just as his fingertips grazed the cobalt cocoon, a hand struck out and grabbed his wrist. Nails dug into skin, making the Exorcist wince in pain. "Yukio," the slurred, half-awake voice of Rin uttered, "what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to make space so I can sleep, too, if that's alright. Now let go." Yukio snapped. He had finally reached the end of his patience.

After realizing the vice he had on his partner's arm, Rin released his grip and looked to the child next to his body. "What were you going to do with him?" Rin yawned and slipped a hand under his shirt to scratch at his stomach. The glazed look in his eyes gave way to just how exhausted he was, as well. "Why can't you just sleep next to us?"

Yukio pointed towards the makeshift crib fastened out of clothes inside a hamper. "Rin, it's not good to sleep in the same bed as a baby. Especially a newborn. You could roll over on it or something. So I made it a bed."

Rin looked down at what his brother was pointing at. "We can't put him in a laundry basket! What if he gets cold?"

"Rin, I'm not arguing anymore!" Yukio barked. He took his glasses off and proceeded, "I made it a bed. It's the only thing we've got." The hesitance etched into Rin's face had Yukio's tired mind scrambling for some kind of explanation that would make his brother comply more easily. "Look, if it'll make you feel better, I'll go out and get some supplies for it _after_ I get some sleep. So can you do what I ask just this once, please?"

The dejected expression on the dark-haired demon's face switched to one of excitement at his brother's words. Rin's tail slowly unwrapped from the child's body. His pale, slender fingers easily slipped under the boy's back and lifted him up into the older demon's arms. The second that space was free, Yukio allowed his body to collapse, landing on his stomach where the baby had been moments ago. The young Exorcist couldn't help the hum of satisfaction that buzzed in his throat. He would never take his bed for granted ever again. He peeked out from under an eye as he felt his brother slip from behind his body and get off the bed. The brunet teen watched as that soft smile returned to Rin's face, staring down at the small bundle in his arms.

"Don't worry, it'll only be for a few hours." He heard Rin whisper to the sleeping form. "And then I'll go out and buy you your own bed – a _huge_ bed. Me and you can share it, and I won't have to worry about rolling over on you." Rin's smile widened until his pointed canines showed. He then gingerly stroked the black hair that sat in messy, curly locks atop the infant's head. "Goodnight, little one." The baby was then placed in the basket, shirts and pants being added to the "blanket" he was already wrapped up in.

As Yukio watched, that warm, pressurized feeling in his chest returned. What was this feeling, and why was he experiencing it? It felt as if someone was filling a hot-air balloon inside his ribcage. It was a feeling he had never felt before – and he wasn't sure he liked it.

The mattress dipped in as the older twin climbed back onto the bed. "Why do you keep staring at me?" Rin cocked an eyebrow towards his younger twin. "I know I'm irresistible, but staring is very impolite." Rin joked with a wink. He tapped the tip of Yukio's nose with the pad of his index finger, giggling lightly, then laid down next to the edge.

Yukio hugged his brother from behind when the shorter teen turned on his side to face the infant resting peacefully in the laundry basket. His arms snaked around Rin's torso and he buried his face in the crook of his neck. The spawn of Satan was very pleased with this action and snuggled backwards towards his lover while letting his other arm slip from the bed to lightly rest against the child's chest.

"Rin," Yukio mumbled into his brother's skin, giving him goosebumps, "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I didn't mean to…"

"I know." Rin yawned. "I forgive you." A few moments ticked by before Rin asked a question, "Did you mean it though when you said you were gonna buy supplies for him?"'

Yukio took a while to answer. It started to make Rin worry, that perhaps he decided to go back on his word. But eventually Yukio half-heartedly nodded his head and gave a short hum that Rin knew meant yes.

And even though the sun was almost shining, the three boys in the old, abandoned dormitory slept soundly; a much needed rest. The last thing to floated through the genius Exorcist's mind were the determined, protective eyes of his twin. There was a phrase for eyes like those… only, he couldn't think of it right now.

He would probably remember after he woke up.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Rin just strikes me as a good 'ol baby-loving creature of Satan. He's protective, caring, goofy, and immature – characteristics of a good mommy. I'm trying to keep them in character as much as possible. And I apologize for the OCs. They're not all that important, so don't think they're gonna be a part of some big huge plot twist. Because they're not. And as for the name "Baš Čelik" it's pronounced Bash Chelik. He's a Turkish demon.

I also apologize for the fact that I'll be updating _**every month on the 1**__**st**_ unless stated otherwise. It takes me a while to put the story together and make it look nice and pretty for you people to read, plus school and work. So bear with me on this.

Anyway, let me know how I did!


	2. There's No Proof of My Existence

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's a day late, guys. Work ran late last night and I still needed to self-beta this chapter. But it's going up now, so I hope you like it!

* * *

There's No Proof of My Existence

"Yukio."

A soft, pleasant voice – like the call of a dove – drifted to round, human ears. The form lying still in the bed did not make a move, or a sound, or any indication that he was even alive.

The figure with the pointed ears and fangs kneeled on the mattress and leaned forward. Making sure not to crush bundle of clothes situated protectively in the crook of his left arm, the man reached with his other hand to gently shake his brother's shoulder. "Yukio, come on," he chuckled lightly, "it's time to get up." Still the Exorcist-in-training received no response. His pale lips curved upwards at their corners as he contemplated his next course of action. Those same pale lips came in contact with the pink peach of his younger twin's ear and nibbled lightly with his teeth. As the dark-haired teen pulled at the stiff cartilage, a low moan escaped from under the blankets. "Yukio, I know you're awake. It's almost noon, I think it's time to get up now."

Slowly turning around, the younger of the two yawned and sent bleary, glazed orbs up to his brother. Rin leaned down and swiftly placed a kiss to Yukio's lips; the teen soon found a hand pressed against his black hair as his younger twin made it known that he wanted more than just a little peck. Yukio tugged on Rin's light blue t-shirt, trying to pull his body down on the bed, as well, only to be interrupted when his brother ended the kiss to speak. "Be careful, Yukio," he smiled softly and stood back up, "I have the baby."

Light blue irises opened wide and fell upon the rolled up yellow shirt currently being held by pale arms. "Baby…?" the Exorcist mumbled and picked his head up from the pillows. With the realization of the extra person occupying their home, Yukio promptly let his face fall back into the white, puffy rectangles with a groan.

"Yeah," the other boy answered, not one bit put off by his brother's unenthusiastic reaction. He continued with a cheery attitude, "I had to use your penguin shirt because he peed in the other one. But as soon as we get some diapers and clothes we won't need to worry about that anymore, huh little guy?" Rin poked and wiggled his fingers on the child's chest, hoping for some kind of response. Only the slight rise and fall of the infant's chest was the result, to which he slightly frowned at.

Yukio dragged his body upwards and sat on the edge of his bed, running his fingers through his disheveled bedhead. "This can't really be happening." His tired eyes gazed upon the content features of the shorter man, who held the bland, uninteresting and – dare he think it? – somewhat frightening infant in his most comfortable shirt.

"Well, it was the only shirt that was just right. All the other ones in that laundry basket were either too scratchy or too stiff. I'll make sure to clean this one so don't get all huffy over –"

"That's not what I mean." Yukio cut off the dark-haired man and ran a palm down his face, trying to rid the sleep from his features. Rin's eyebrows pulled down in the center of his forehead and his lip jutted out in a pout at the rude jester. The one positioned on the bed grabbed for his glasses and then stood.

The pout slowly transformed into an annoyed scowl. "Good morning, sunshine." Rin said with sarcasm-laced intent. He placed a hand on his hip and supported the child's bottom with the other.

Yukio stalked over to his other half, pinching the bridge of his nose in contemplation. "Rin, about what I said…"

"I thought we talked about this already." The shorter male sounded out slowly. He looked his brother over with a puzzling observation. "You said I could keep him – _and_ you said you were gonna help by buying him supplies." The older boy's hands snaked around the child as he spoke.

"Rin, will you listen for once in your life?" The young doctor sternly replied. "This is a child – _a baby_. We're not even eighteen yet or out of school, and you think you can take on the responsibility of caring for another? You can barely take care of yourself."

Rin remained unwavering, turning his torso away from the possible threat. "Well, whether you like it or not, I'm gonna take care of him. You promised me that you would help, and I'm sorry I believed you, but I'm notgoing back on _my_ promises."

"Listen, I was tired and I really just wanted to sleep –"

"So that makes it okay for you to take back what you said?"

A sweaty palm slid down the younger twin's nose in aggravation. "Rin, just –"

"No," the dark-haired teen interjected again, "I know what you're going to say. I'm _not_ giving him up. You can try and take him from me if you like, but I advise against it. And if you dare report me to those precious employers of yours, then so be it. We'll manage on our own."

"I can't believe you're really being this stubborn right now!"

"It's a goddamn baby, Yukio – how can you say such merciless things about him? Has becoming an Exorcist really made you that heartless?"

"It's my job," Yukio snapped, "it's what I'm supposed to do; I was hired to try and make this world a better place."

"Oh yes, because he's _so_ dangerously evil." He snapped back, gesturing to the stirring infant who had begun to wiggle and twitch within his arms. "Tell me, Yukio, if he didn't have the horns, the tail, or the pointed ears – if he was _completely_ human – would you be saying the same things?" The brunet opened his mouth to answer, but stopped. Blue spheres bore into a matching set a few feet away. The taller of the two scrambled for some kind of answer, some kind of solution that would justify his side of the argument, but came up shorthanded. "That's what I thought." The Satanic spawn sighed, face falling when the child gave out a short whine. A moderate crying spree followed afterwards, leaving the upset teen to hug the baby against his chest in an attempt to calm him down.

Rounded human ears listened to the cooing, soothing sounds being emitted from his lover. The way his older twin lifted the baby so he was lying chest to chest, lightly bouncing his torso up and shushing the nameless form. Rin's expression tightened as he tried to hold back the welling emotions bubbling up in his chest. It wasn't long before he was forced to his knees on the floor, clutching the infant and whimpering, as well.

The sudden action had Yukio rushing to the other's side in no time flat. "Rin!" He called.

As his younger twin kneeled, Rin stuttered out, "I-I can't… I won't." Pale hands slowly eased the yellow, crying wad of cloth back, revealing the scrunched face of the demon child. Rin gingerly touched the tan, rounded horns that poked through the infant's full head of black, wispy hair. The satanic spawn then seemed to change the subject while clear tears raced down his face. "He's barely been awake since I brought him here. I mean, he hasn't even opened his eyes yet." The sniveling teen sniffed hopelessly and turned his watery eyes in Yukio's direction. "He won't even eat either. Since we have no bottles, I tried feeding him milk through a straw instead – you know, where you hold your finger on one end so the stuff stays inside? I thought he may be hungry, but instead he just seemed to choke on it and… and…" Rin buried his head back into the tuft of black that adorned the baby's head and added to the wailing that was already echoing off the walls.

It hurt; the sight of his other half in such a worrisome state of despair dropped a melancholy bomb within the brunet's chest that exploded on impact. All he wanted to do was comfort Rin – all he wanted to do was make his twin feel better.

Placing a hand on the other's thigh and slinging an arm around the same person's shoulders, Yukio hugged Rin and spoke calmly, hoping it would put his other half at ease. "Hey, easy now. Don't stress yourself out. If you get too worked up, you may summon your flames, and do you really want to do that while holding… uh…" He motioned to the still crying child wrapped up in one of his favourite shirts.

"But Yukio…" Rin trembled, looking from the demonic infant, to his lover.

"Listen." The young genius sighed in defeat. "Do you really believe you can take care of a baby? Take a second to think it over, and then answer me honestly." Yukio brushed at a trickling tear that slowly made its way down his opposite's cheek, a small smile appearing on his face. With a few small drops of translucent tears escaping, Rin stared at the restless baby situated in his hands.

He gazed at the infant for what seemed like a while; he scanned the defenseless child's face, creased in certain spots from crying. He observed the horns that jutted out from the stark black, curly hair, as well as the way the baby squirmed and wiggled within the confines of the makeshift cocoon. The halfbreed teen then reminisced about how an equally black tail hung from the child's backside when he had changed the clothing twice before.

_His tail…_ Rin thought for a moment. _His _tail_…_

"I know what's wrong." Said male finally spoke up. A small smile crept its way through the veil of despair that had occupied his face earlier. In one fluid movement, Rin laid the infant down on the floor while his younger brother cocked an eyebrow. With precise movements, the older twin proceeded to unfold the fabric confines around the youngling's body. Soon, the shirt was removed – and all had gone silent. The high-pitched wailing had ceased and Rin released a victorious sigh of relief. Yukio looked from the pleased, tear-streaked face of his other half, to the soundless, nude demeanor of the younger one. "I should've known better." Rin chuckled lightly as he wiped the last remaining bits of fluid from his cheeks. "I get cranky too when my tail is curled up for too long." He threw a sideways glance to his long, snake-like appendage that twitched and flicked on the floor. "It gets very uncomfortable after a while."

The child's tiny extension flopped and wiggled in a thankful manner, roaming around the open space as his arms and legs remained motionless by his sides. "Well then, that's, uh, good… then." Yukio muttered and scratched at his brown hair. Rin reached forward and caressed the infant's head with the palm of his hand.

Just as the pad of the shorter teen's slender thumb passed underneath a lidded eye, the child breathed in deep and gave a whimper. Rin withdrew his hand quickly, fearful that the child was going to start up another sobbing spell; however, instead of the worst case scenario playing out once again, the child did something that had Rin covering the grin that threatened to split his face in two.

First one, then the other – the infant cracked apart his eyelids and gazed up at the two people currently hovering over his naked body. It was an instant warming sensation that washed over the entirety of the demonic teen's body when their eyes locked for the very first time. In any other circumstance, the piercing yellow irises would've made any other normal person jump back with fright, however, Rin was not a normal person. His initial reaction was the complete opposite.

"Look at him, Yukio." The older twin whispered with a toothy grin, placing a hand to the brunet's forearm. Although, Yukio's expression was contradictory to what his twin conveyed; he demonstrated more of hesitance, a discomfort brought on by the vivid golden eyes. _Well, there's no doubt now whose child this is,_ Yukio mentally sighed as his eyebrow twitched in agitation at the memories of last night. Those same yellow orbs of Baš Čelik's burned holes into the brunet's brain. He shook his head to rid himself of the recollections and to free himself of the shiver of uneasiness that vibrated down his spine. "He's beautiful." Rin breathed, causing his brother to focus back to the two demons in the room.

Yukio rubbed the back of his neck and tried his best to smile. Although, it came out as more of a lopsided smirk. "Y-yeah, it's… _cute_." The word left a bitter taste on the Exorcist's tongue.

"Hi there." The dark-haired teen cooed. He waved his hand in a reluctant manner, like when he was much younger and had to meet new school classmates for the first time. The obvious shyness in the older twin's voice attracted the attention of the younger one, who looked him up and down. Yukio could not see what the big deal was. Hands that were experienced in swordsmanship carefully slid under the smooth, bare back of the infant and was carefully hoisted up once again.

Back into the crook of an arm the baby went, his hair being fingered and caressed in an affectionate manner.

As the older demonic twin smiled down at the little bundle of joy, blue orbs gazing at wide yellow ones, a deep twinge of coziness made itself at home in the chest of the glasses-clad man. The almost-ticklish sensation ran from his ribcage all the way to the ends of his fingers and toes. And the sense only grew as he observed his partner lean down and peck a small kiss to the forehead of the newborn. An ever so light shade of pink dusted Yukio's cheeks. He wondered what exactly it was that made him react this way. Never before had Yukio experienced an emotion so warming and so possessive that it caused every fiber in his body to ignite with a need to protect and love – it was a completely different kind of emotion than the one he felt for his brother; that need to protect was also laced with lust and sometimes an animalistic desire that needed to be taken care of in a certain way, while this sensation only brought along with it the absolute need to defend and shelter the target from any and all harm.

He really didn't like this feeling.

"Hey, Yukio, what's up?" Rin's voice broke through.

"Oh, nothing." He answered quickly, smiling nervously and hoping his twin didn't notice the anxious sweat drops forming at his temple.

"Here, do you wanna hold him?" The question came as a shock; the brunet's demeanor completely froze when his twin jostled the baby around and closed the gap between them, preparing to hand the nameless child off.

"_No._" Came a harsh response. Said Exorcist instinctively raised his hands, palms forward, in a defensive motion. The young genius then stood abruptly, ignoring the confused and somewhat offended look the kneeling man threw him. "I-It's just that… I'm going to get dressed and head to the store." Yukio swiftly addressed. He rubbed the back of his neck and inwardly sighed. "I'll go and buy it food and clothing, however, when I return, I expect a full explanation on how you plan to take care of it." The brunet couldn't help but feel a small bud of pleasure when he observed his brother's face blossom into a radiating smile from a downwards pout. He could've sworn he actually saw stars sparkling in the immature teen's azure orbs.

Rin was so beautiful when he smiled – it was one of the features that made Yukio fall head over heels for him in the first place. And it was almost impossible _not_ to give into the dark-haired man's requests when the reward for doing so was a big, toothy grin.

Yukio's heart throbbed where he stood.

"Really?" Rin breathed. Slowly rising to his feet, the satanic spawn beamed up at his twin in utter gratification and spoke, "Oh, thank you, Yukio!" The four-eyed man was sure his brother would've jumped for joy if it were not for the youngling he held. "You're the best. I promise I'll pay you back!"

Rin's sudden liveliness had lifted the younger male's spirits. "Oh yeah," he raised an eyebrow in a doubtful manner and smirked, "how do you plan on paying me back? You don't have any money."

The older of the two returned the smirk, but also added half-lidded eyes and a provocative voice, "Who says I need money? I think I'm perfectly capable of thanking you in a different manner." The Exorcist-in-training punctuated his offer by lightly trailing a finger down the taller man's chest, starting from the top of his shirt collar and ending at the top of his navel.

The action caused the hair on Yukio's arms to rise as little tiny bumps spread throughout his skin. He grabbed for the wrist and gently jerked his twin forward. Lips pressed against lips in a repetitive wave of need and desire. It wasn't long before a low moan erupted from one of their throats, both too caught up in the moment to realize exactly who it came from.

Yukio was absolutely engrossed in the kiss. Every nerve in his body ignited, making him want more. No matter how many times their lips touched, he could never get enough. After being together for so many years, the two had long since gotten over the regretful fact of their forbidden love. If they were both happy with one another, then why should they stop? As far as they were concerned, nobody was too thrilled with their existence anyways, so why should they give a damn? Rin and Yukio were irrevocably absorbed with one another – and that's just the way they liked it.

Of course, they kept it a secret, though. No need to attract any unwanted attention.

Just as a slick, needy tongue tried to sneak passed a set of lower lips, the kiss was broken. A disappointed expression etched its way onto the brown-haired male's features at the loss of contact. Rin, on the other hand, wiped at the saliva smeared across his bottom lip, face of egotistical delight. "Whoa, slow down there." He chuckled. "You can have the rest _after_ you come home with the supplies for the baby."

Yukio's features slumped even further when he noticed the wide-eyed infant staring intently at him. He wasn't too thrilled with the fact that the child had witnessed the mini-makeout session the two just shared – even if the demonic creature was too young to remember such an occurrence. It was still creepy nonetheless. "Make a list." Yukio sighed as he made his way to the old wooden dresser situated on his side of the room. "But keep it short, only put what you think is absolutely necessary. I'll need to go to the store on the other side of town, so hopefully nobody will recognize me stocking up on infant essentials." He exhaled again at the thought of all the work he was going through for a being he didn't even want touching him.

Sensing the stress starting to build within his twin, Rin approached his brother solemnly. "You know, I could always go if you don't want to. I usually do the shopping anyways, so you could stay here with the baby while I –"

"No, no." Yukio interjected. "It's alright. I'll go out. Besides, you still have to come up with a solid strategy on how you plan on taking care of that thing."

Now it was Rin's turn to sigh. "He's not a _thing_. He's a boy."

"Right. Either way, if you can't come up with a fluid, organized proposal for me by time I get back, then you can't blame me for not allowing you to keep it." The brunet discarded his night-shirt and donned a new one; this one being cotton-based and green, soon followed by a long-sleeved, white V-neck.

"I got it, I got it." The opposite assured, dropping his gaze down to the infant. He stuck his tongue out in a playful manner, and then grinned as the tiny person's tail wagged in response. Rin then spun on his heel and headed for his desk, muttering to himself, "Now, what will you need? Let's see, you need diapers for sure. And food. What do babies eat anyway? You don't have any teeth yet, so I'm guessing you can't chew anything big – which only leaves stuff for you to drink. What do babies drink? Milk of course, but is that it? That can't be the only thing…"

"Rin, if you're trying to convince me you can take care of a baby, you're doing a pretty bad job right now." Yukio shouted to his twin as he button up his jeans. Rin spun around from his desk and scowled at his younger brother. "Babies drink either the milk produced by their mothers or a premade formula. And seeing as you are neither a woman, nor this thing's actual birth mother, that only leaves the formula."

Blue irises were half-lidded as a lax expression settled on the older teen's face. "You know, Yukio, if you know something that I don't, it wouldn't hurt for you to just tell me instead of being an asshole about it."

The only human in the room tried to stifle a laugh, but failed. It was just too easy to tease his lover sometimes. And it didn't help that the reaction he usually received was of the upmost cuteness. The dark-haired teen's pouts were simply attractive.

The satanic child didn't wait for an answer as he used his free hand to open a rarely used notebook, snatch up the closest writing utensil – which happened to be a pen – and uncap it with his teeth. After spitting said top to the floor, Rin began scribbling down the products he deemed necessary to sustain the infant's life. "Diapers… wipes… formula… bottles… clothes…" He rattled off to himself. By this point, the demonic infant had become bored with the outside world, and instead opted for closing his intense yellow eyes to the soothing vibration of Rin's chest.

Soft breathing was soon emitted from the sleeping form while his guardian finished up the short list for the store. The lined paper was then handed off to the younger twin, who slipped on a warm jacket.

As the two made their way down the halls and towards the front door, Rin made sure to explain to Yukio about exactly what types of materials the baby would need. "And don't get clothes that are too scratchy, he doesn't like those. And if there are any bottles that are blue, get those. I've noticed he responds better to the colour blue. And don't forget we need some kind of bed for him. He can't keep sleeping in a laundry basket. Oh! And don't forget, pick him out a nice blanket – preferably with some kind of silk edge like you and me used to share when we were younger. Do you remember that? It always felt nice and we always used to sleep with it and the old man made sure it was with us every night and – "

"Okay, okay, Rin." The younger twin laughed, motioning his hands like he was trying to slow down a speeding car. "I got it. But remember, if we can't afford it, then I can't buy it. What I'm most concerned with right now is simply food and clothing."

The shorter male nodded his head. A soft smile played on his lips at the choice of words his brother used, particularly satisfied with the word "concerned."

"Right." He voiced to the departing man. However, just as he was about to open the door, Rin halted him by grabbing for his forearm. "Here, wear this. It's getting cold out." A maroon scarf with a diamond trellis design was held out to the brown-haired teen. Yukio stared at the article of clothing before reaching out a hand and taking it. As he wrapped the long fabric around his neck, the raven-haired male stared up at his other half with a small smile playing on his lips. After said teen finished fastening the scarf, he looked back to his brother and stuffed the folded piece of paper into the inside the pocket of his coat. "Thank you, Yukio." Rin almost whispered, hugging the now-clothed child closer to his chest.

If Yukio could've fallen anymore in love with this man, he would have. Seeing Rin smiling so endearingly at him, clutching an infant, before he went off to run the errands to sustain their lives – Yukio's heart sped up a few paces. In a motion he was totally familiar with, the glasses-clad human reached forward and wrapped his arms around the form in front of him. He was sure his brother would be able to hear his racing heart, but frankly, he didn't care; Yukio wanted Rin to know exactly what he did to him.

Rin leaned into the embrace, carefully situating himself so there was a comfortable amount of space for the baby.

Both twins tilted their heads, as if on cue, and captured each other up in a time-stopping kiss. Unlike the one from earlier, which was solely meant to tease, this one brought with it the ever increasing and heart-throbbing emotions of devotion and passion.

It ended as abruptly as it started – both knew they could stand like that forever, although there were other important things that needed to be attended to.

"I'll miss you." A soft sigh admitted.

"I'll miss you, too." Another agreed. Just as the younger twin walked through the front door, he turned back around and held up a finger. "Don't forget about your oh-so-brilliant plan to become a caretaker. I'm still holding you to it." And with that he turned and began walking away.

"I've already got it planned out in my head." Rin yelled after him, hand pressed to the side of his mouth to help carry his voice farther. A waving arm was the only response he got.

He closed the big, wooden door, then ran a hand through the sleeping infant's hair until he realized an important fact. A slight grumble resounded in the back of his throat. I have _no _clue how I'm gonna take care of you while I'm at school…"

It didn't take the young satanic offspring long to climb the stairs to the second floor, making his way to the shared room to sit down and somehow strategize his parental plan

This was something, he soon discovered, that was even more difficult than his unfinished homework.

* * *

It was long, harrowing work. With the constant seeking out of materials mixed in with the constant surveillance of the area around him, the young Exorcist was almost certain he was going to explode with anticipation. He had picked up a routine while on this mini-mission; look around, read the next item on the list, find that item, look around again, then place it in his basket. It felt like he had been on this journey for hours now, and he was slowly losing his patience. The young brunet didn't know why he even agreed to this task in the first place. He didn't like the circumstance in which these items were needed! Why in the world was he in the infant section of a store all the way on the other side of town; he, a person who had spent the better half of his life studying and encountering dangerous creatures in the name of the Lord? Why was he here, apprehensively placing such things like plastic bottles, baby wipes, and a package of diapers into a shopping cart?

The flash of a grateful smile flickered in the brunet's brain. The sparkle of determined blue orbs sat just above that blinding crescent and gazed down at a defenseless form, ready to fight off whatever harm came its way. Yukio thought about how those slender, pale arms, so skilled in fighting and wielding a sword, became as gentle as a butterfly's wings when picking up a bundle of clothing that held a much more cherished prize inside.

The image of Rin, fretting over the welfare of a child, feeding it, taking care of it, standing at the stove and cooking their favourite dinner, chastising the child for misbehaviour – Yukio shook his head at the impossible fantasy. _What am I thinking?_ Yukio mumbled mentally. The picture of a protecting and caring Rin had the tall man shivering, and he didn't know why. _Why _did that pretend-scenario have the young doctor suppressing the giddy, bubbly feeling in his chest at the mere _thought_ of his partner tending to the house, testing ingredients to new concoctions in the kitchen, and fussing over a possible tantrum thrown by a troublesome kid?

It made Yukio blush. It made him want to burst from the shear _cuteness_ of his make-believe world.

Rin – sword-wielding, fire-spewing, rage-prone, immature satanic spawn, reduced to wearing a pink apron with that silver clip holding back his black bangs and bottle feeding an infant cradled in his arms while it stared back with big, innocent eyes.

He swallowed the lively buzzing that threatened to erupt from his very core. The day-dream dissolved with a shake of his head. _Like it'd be that easy. Babies are loud and obnoxious, not to mention smell and need constant attention. Besides, this isn't even a normal kid! It's a demon for Christ's sake. There's no way it can behave like a normal child. It's impossible!_

The sudden memory of a younger brunet, kneeling feebly on the ground and crying out for help, ignited within the young genius's mind.

"_Help me… please… somebody. I'm scared. I don't want to see the scary things anymore."_

_A dark figure loomed over the young child. At first, he thought it to be another frightening monster. However, he was relieved to see the smiling, comforting face of a white-haired man. The father- figure placed a hand atop the child's head in a soothing manner. "Yukio, would you like to fight alongside me?"_

"… _Huh?" Was the only thing the child could say through his hiccup of tears._

"_Rather than living in fear of the darkness; to become strong and protect other people – your brother included?"_

The teen lowered his eyes, staring unfocused at the bottom shelf in front of him. _Father never faltered for a moment when it came to protecting Rin. And he knew I wouldn't either. Even though he knew of our origin, he made sure we both were taken care of and protected in any way possible. _

Father Fujimoto loved his children, no matter who their real father was. He cared for them, gave them a home, and sheltered them from harm.

_Well… I guess there would be no harm in humouring Rin for a little while… I mean, the thing doesn't really have the best odds going right now, so looking after it wouldn't be the worst that could happen… Just until we find a nice home for it._

Yukio straightened his posture, pushed the classes up the bridge of his nose, and looked back to the pink plastic bottle he held in his hand. Eyeing the associate donning the store's uniform a few feet away, he approached her with a courteous smile. "Excuse me, Miss, but could you tell me if you have any of these in blue?"

* * *

It had been well over two hours since his twin left. The older of the two was starting to worry as he glanced out the window. With his arms crossed, he looked from the sunny outside, to the child wrapped in yet another shirt (having soiled Yukio's favourite one), to the written explanation of how he was going to become a legitimate guardian.

Groaning weakly in the back of his throat, the light-blue shirted man strolled over to the infant wrapped up in a thin, white t-shirt and sat down on his bed. He wasn't too sure Yukio would be thrilled with the plan he had in mind, but it was the best he could come up with. Maybe he could get Yukio to help him out with a better idea._ Ptsh, who am I kidding,_ Rin sighed inwardly and crossed his arms, _it'll be a cold day in Hell before Yukio suggests anything that'll help me in taking care of this baby. I'm lucky he's even paying for the shopping._ A slight whine from under the blankets had the raven-haired teen shifting his attention from his inner voice to the tiny package settled in the middle of a stark white pillow.

A hum of appreciation and a tiny smirk made itself known on the satanic spawn's face when familiar yellow eyes peered up at his once again. Without hesitation, he crawled over to the baby's side and hugged him close to his chest. "You're probably getting hungry again, huh?" He mumbled into the youngling's hair. "Yukio should be back soon. Hopefully he didn't forget anything." Rin closed his eyes for a moment; _Hopefully he didn't __**intentionally**__ forget anything._ The older twin thought back to times where his brother depended on him in situations that were tough, but nowadays, he was the one depending on Yukio. He had to face it – Yukio already had a job, he was already bringing in an income, _and_ he was trained specifically to fend for himself.

To Rin, it seemed like he served no purpose in Yukio's life. Except for pissing him off by bringing strange and absurd "creatures" into their home.

Rin opened his eyes again. His heart ached a bit when he thought about such things, so he tried his best not to. Although, the closer the school year got to ending, the more Rin thought about what he was going to do with his life.

Yukio was going off to college, for sure. He had handed in a scholarship form a few months back, and Rin was almost certain Yukio would get high grades on the entrance exams; he was a shoo-in.

And all he could do was fail his exams and sleep during classes.

_Does Yukio ever think of these things, like I do?_ The demon contemplated. _What does he think about the near future? I'm not cut out for college like he is; I'm barely passing High School – __**if**__ I pass High School. The cram school isn't that much different either. I can fight perfectly fine with my sword, but I can't use my sword on written exams… I'll always be in Yukio's shadow._ Rin released a heavy exhale while his eyes misted over. _Yukio doesn't need me anymore._

Blue irises examined the ever-watchful eyes of the newborn. He squeezed the bundle close to his chest and planted a swift kiss to his temple. "Looks like it's just you and me, kiddo." He proclaimed as he buried his face in the child's hair, feeling one of his hardened horns poke into his cheek. "We're gonna be on our own soon, so let's make the best of what we've got now."

Just then, a black ball of fur and claws jumped up onto the bed and pawed at the older demon's hand. _"Ne, Rin. Yukio's coming up the stairs. He looks like he's got a lot of bags."_

The telepathic link Rin shared with his Familiar never failed. "Oh, thanks, Kuro. I'll go help him. You stay here with the baby, okay?"

"_Yes, Rin, yes!"_ Kuro responded. Rin hopped up from the bed and left the Cat Sith in charge of the infant.

The teen scurried his way down the concrete hall, his tail swishing back and forth with every step he took. It didn't take long to reach his twin, who he almost stumbled into midway down the stairs. "Hey, Yukio, need help?" The teen asked, one step higher than his brother. The plastic bags he held went all the way up to each forearm.

"Oh, Rin – uh, yeah." Yukio huffed, lifting a wobbly arm to his twin.

"Whoa, did you carry these all the way home?"

After the bags were removed from one arm, Yukio pushed his falling glasses up his nose and proceeded to distribute the weight with the remaining bags; taking some off his left arm and switching them to his right. "No," he finally answered, "I took a cab here. I didn't want to, but with this much stuff, plus the box downstairs still, there was no way a subway ride was going to suffice."

The opposite man, who easily handled the amount of plastic bags, raised an eyebrow as he ascended the stairs. "What's in the box downstairs?"

"A bassinet."

"A what?"

An agitated sigh. "It's like a crib but smaller and less expensive."

"You actually bought him a bed?"

"Uhm – yes?" Yukio's face was one of uncertainty combined with slight irritation at his brother's questioning.

"I just didn't think you really _would_." came the dark-haired teen's explanation while they both made their way down the hall of the abandoned dormitory.

The brunet's patience was clearly running thin. "And why is that?"

"I just thought you didn't care that much. I really thought you were gonna make Jun sleep in the laundry basket."

"Well, for your information I – wait, what did you just say?" The use of an unfamiliar name had the Exorcist stopping in his tracks.

"It's not my fault you can act like a heartless bastard sometimes, so you can't blame me for thinking –"

"No, no, you idiot, not that." The younger twin stated and dropped the plastic bags inside their bedroom door. "Did you say _Jun_? As in, a _name_?"

Rin placed his share of the bags on the wooden floor as well, giving his brother a confused look. "Uh, yeah?"

"You named it." The young doctor stated plainly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I named _him_." Rin stressed. He then cracked a sly smirk and added, "I was going to name him Rin Jr., but I figured one Rin was enough for this family."

The brunet visibly grimaced. The last word in his brother's statement was a bold one, one that had a twinge of anxiety flowing through human veins. Said teen stripped himself of his heavy, black jacket and haphazardly placed threw it on the mattress to his right. The teacher soon followed suit and slumped down onto his bed, as well. A _creak_ split the silence as his body sunk into the soft, white fabric.

The shorter of the two watched his lover slip fingers under the spectacles resting on his nose and rub at his eyes. Obviously, he wasn't in that great of a mood.

The sight of Yukio irritated, most likely because of himself, made Rin feel even worse about their current situation. "You can't _name _it, Rin." Yukio monotoned. "Once, you name it, you start becoming attached to it. And I said it could stay here until we find out what to do with it." _Why am I doing this_, Yukio pondered. _I'm being a hypocrite – first I say it can't stay, then I agree to buy it food and clothes, and now I'm saying it can't stay again? Why can't I just make a straight decision and stick to it?_

The mattress dipped in suddenly next to the four-eyed man's body. He turned his head slightly to see the very familiar contours of his twin's crestfallen face. Two hands rose gently and rested on the younger twin's shoulders, immediately beginning to squeeze and rub at the skin below the surface of white fabric. Their slow and apologetic speed elicited a pleasured hum from the person on the receiving end. Tense muscles relaxed when soft thumbs pleasantly dug into the skin and tried to soothe away any stress that still remained. A very soft, caution laced, voice breathed against a pink ear, "Are you mad at me?"

A hand reached for a similar one on his left shoulder. "No." The brunet said as equally soft, and turned his head to place a chaste kiss to the middle of the rough palm. The dark-haired screw-up placed his chin in the crook of his younger brother's neck and leaned against him for a few moments, until a loud, rumbling noise crashed the silence like a hammer through a glass window.

The noise had the taller man blushing in embarrassment.

"Hungry?" Rin teased. Yukio didn't even need to respond to his brother's question. "I'm gonna go and start dinner." Rin hopped from the bunk and stretched. He felt the muscles in his body pull tightly, letting a pleased groan slip passed his lips, and then relaxed his posture. "We slept in so late, it's already dinner time." The older teen yawned as he peered at the clock on the wall. "It's almost four."

Rin spied the newborn that still lied on the bed on the opposite side of the dorm. After noting how quiet the child was, even awake, the fanged man waltz over his own bed, leaving his younger brother to check on the youngling.

Kuro's two tails wagged in front of the child's gaze in a mesmerizing wave, forward and back. The defenseless form's yellow eyes moved in sync with the furry extremities that almost tickled his nose. It had Rin smiling in humour at the funny, calculating look written all over the infant's face.

"_Ne, Rin,"_ a familiar voice popped inside the older twin's head, "_I think he likes me!"_

"I think he likes you too." Rin agreed and petted the Cat Sith's head. He then turned his attention towards the baby, newly named Jun, and ran a few fingers over the top of his jet-black hair. The two tails continued to swish back and forth in front of Jun's face, until he abruptly sneezed from the tingling sensation gliding too close to his face. To this, the dark-haired teen laughed; Jun's expression took on one of surprise, then sadness at the foreign action that assaulted his senses. Quickly kissing the infant's forehead, Rin turned back around to the watchful eyes of his younger brother and stated, "While I get dinner started, I'm going to make a bottle, so just watch him until I get back, alright?" The shorter man dug into one of the plastic bags until he came across a blue container and a cylinder entitled "Infant Formula."

"Wait, you're going to leave me with it? What if it starts crying?" Yukio panicked and gestured to the wide-eyed child like it would bite his hand off if he got too close.

Rin's face scrunched up as he stood. "He has a name now, and I suggest you start using it." Came his reply. He then stalked his way toward the doorway and added, "But if he starts crying then just pick him up and rock him. He'll be fine – it's not like he's gonna explode or anything." Without another word, the young man exited the shared dorm and padded his way down the hall.

When the older teen exited the room, the younger found himself crossing his arms and staring at the child across the room. A slight squeak was heard as the infant continued to be captivated by the swishing twin tails that floated just above his pink face. It was silent, save for the inconsistent squeaks the infant popped out. Kuro's good mood made itself known to the people around him when a repetitive rumble rolled in his throat. His purring echoed through the room.

"You better not cry." Yukio informed loudly with an indifferent expression. Jun, being the ignorant infant that he was, paid no attention to the annoyed look planted upon the Exorcist's face. The teacher exhaled heavily through his nose and closed his eyes. Even though his vision was covered in black, the image of the demonic child still covered his sight. _Damn kid,_ he stated in anger. _I can't remember the last time Rin worked so hard on something. He's paying that damn thing more attention than the things that _actually _matter – like his homework, or studying, or even the consequences of this whole damn situation! God forbid the Vatican finds out about this. _An irritated sigh barreled passes his pale lips. _And yet, with the amount of danger we've been placed in, I can't bring myself to tell Rin no. The only thing I can do is sit back and watch him become more and more attached to that thing. I'm sure it won't be too long before that thing is the very center of his attention._ The last part of Yukio's pondering left him with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his gut; the anxious storm rumbled and turned in his stomach, making him flinch at the intensity.

As Kuro jumped back and forth over the youngling's form, Yukio spied a piece of paper lying on the end of his lover's bed. Identical, yet crumpled, balls scattered the area behind it. Rising to his feet, the brown-haired teen stalked his way over to the other side of the room. He came across the paper, entitled "Rin's Engenious Plan to Take Care of Jun" and picked it up. Ignoring the ridiculous, misspelled title, the teen doctor scanned over the specific points in his brother's thoughtful "masterpiece."

_I, Okumura Rin, hereby claim Okumura Jun as my own until further notice. My engenious plan will include the help of one Kuro and one Ukobach. The following is a very simple AND efective schedule that will be followed every day, starting tomorrow. _

_6:00 a.m. – get up and feed Jun_

_6:30 a.m. – play with Jun_

_7:00 a.m. – get ready for school while Kuro entertains Jun_

_7:30 a.m. – eat breakfast quickly and head off to school, leaving Kuro and Ukobach in charge of Jun._

_8:00 a.m. – get to school_

_3:00 p.m. – go to cram school_

_5:00 p.m. – arrive home. Spend the rest of the night doing homework, tending to Jun, and cooking lunches for tomorrow._

_And yes, Yukio, this plan is full proof. I have already discussed such conditions with Kuro and Ukobach. I challenge you to find one flaw in this plan. Go ahead. You can't, can you? Because there is none!_

_Signed,_

_Okumura Rin the Genious_

The brunet had never before in his life wanted to facepalm any harder than he did once he finished the statement. The lined paper crinkled in his hands as he held tighter to it, wanting to rip it up at the absurdity of it all. Rin's amazing plan was to have a _cat_ and a _kitchen demon_ watch over the infant while they were at school for nine hours? Yukio could name tens, if not hundreds, of things that could possibly go wrong with this idiotic plan of his brother's!

But something else also buzzed away in the back of Yukio's head – something more than the fact that his twin was putting his full trust in two incompetent demons. He read over the schedule one more time. Something about the schedule just didn't sit right with the Exorcist. What was it exactly?

As his blue eyes scanned over the list a few more times, trying to pick out what detail irked him the most, another apron-clad figure entered the room. The person held a blue container in one hand as he dug around in one of the many plastic bags with the other. Finger successfully managed to rip open a plastic covering; withdrawing a diaper, the man made his way over to the bed where the demonic offspring rested, almost sleeping again. "I see you found my schedule." Rin smirked and walked passed Yukio and sat on the bed, a few inches from Jun. He set the full bottle down on the floor at his feet and put the disposable infant-wear on his lap.

The four-eyed male looked at his twin with a frown and said, "You can't be serious." Rin undid the fabric cocoon around the child.

"I knew you'd find _something_ to bitch about. What is it now?" He chuckled. The movements and jostling brought the baby on the bed back to full consciousness and he gazed up into the comforting and tender irises of his caretaker, who in turn smiled.

"How about all of it." Yukio informed and flicked his wrist, causing the paper to spin back onto the mattress where he had found it.

Without even turning his head, the older twin answered, "Kuro watched Jun while I was helping you with the groceries earlier, and nothing bad happened."

"You can't leave a baby alone with a cat and a stove demon for an entire school day."

"And why not? I already went over everything with Kuro and Ukobach – if you ask me, they seemed pretty excited." Rin gave a slight wink to the Cat Sith sitting in the corner of the bunk, who was watching the argument ensue. "Besides, all he does is sleep and eat." The demonic teen pulled back the plastic tabs on the diapers and fastened them around Jun's waist, keeping it in place. He then stood and made his way to the store-bought products once more.

Yukio pinched the bridge of his nose as his opposite rummaged through several bags before coming across the one filled with several different outfits. "What about interaction." The younger twin inquired. "Babies need interaction in order to learn and sustain a healthy brain growth."

"Well geez, Yukio." Rin laughed while taking out a pair of light blue feet pajamas. "You seem to know a lot about taking care of babies."

"No, I just use my head to think every once in a while."

The dark-haired youth shook off the insult. He reseated himself and laid out the clothing next to the youngling. Lifting Jun up, his caretaker placed him on the pajamas and began fastening the buttons. "Ukobach and Kuro are perfectly capable. Ukobach takes care of us, after all. He'll know what to do. And I'm sure Kuro wouldn't mind having someone to play with while I'm gone." The Cat Sith gave out an excited meow of approval. "They can both fight. If anything were to happen – which I doubt – they'll be here to protect him." Yukio didn't make a sound while he watched his lover buttoned the last clasp on the clothes he had bought the infant. He listened to his brother give a hum of approval before turning to face him. "Yukio, these pajamas are so cute!"

The sudden exclamation caused the glasses-wearing teen to blush slightly. "W-Well, you said blue…" He trailed off. Rin plucked the bottle from the floor and turned it upside down. After squirting a thin line of formula on the inside of his wrist, he deemed it cool enough to feed to the form all bundled up on the bed.

A hesitant suck, and Jun was hooked. His lips hugged the nipple of the bottle and drank in a furious manner. The almost-squeaking noises coming from the actions made Satan's spawn grin, feeling almost giddy at the fact that the child approved of the liquid meal. "I wish I could stay, little man," Rin confessed, "but I got dinner cooking, so I need to leave. But I'll be back up later, 'kay?" The apron-wearing fellow gave a chaste kiss to the child's forehead before looking back to the waiting twin. "Did you buy him a blanket?"

"I think so?" Yukio said and strode his way over to one of the bags. He scanned them until his eyes came upon one and his hand reached out. What he withdrew was a soft, plush cover with a shiny, silk edge that bordered its perimeter. "I tried to find one in blue." The brunet sighed as he brought the tannish covering over to his twin. "They didn't have any, though."

Rin smiled at his brother and retrieved the item from his outstretched hand. "That's okay. Too much blue would spoil the colour." The dark-haired Exorcist-in-training ran a thumb over the blanket's silk edge; a reminiscent movement of long, long ago when he and Yukio shared one as children. Their father had always said a blanket shared had much more meaning than if both had one of their own. Rin had a feeling that that excuse was made up on the spot, when in reality he knew it was because of their economic standing.

Still, it did make the item more special. Sharing gave the blanket much more importance when he had someone else to snuggle up with.

"Here ya go." Rin cooed and laid the yellowish plush around the infant's body and head. Jun's yellow eyes followed Rin's hands while he patted down and tucked the infant in. After making sure the area on the baby's chest was fluffed up enough, Rin laid the bottle down; the poofed part supported the bottle's weight so the caretaker no longer needed to hold it. He then stood and walked over to the taller man whose indifferent expression softened with his approach. Rin gazed up silently at his younger brother before resting a hand on his cheek. "You need to calm down a little bit and think before just shouting out answers – you're starting to sound like me." The man smiled warmly as his partner leaned into his warm palm. "Will you at least do me a kindness and consider it while I go and finish up dinner?" The satanic offspring leaned up and pecked a small kiss to the lips of his fondest companion. Arms encircled the apron-clad person's waist and pulled him to the opposite's chest. The caress was savoured, although still ended much too early. "Relax for a bit, will you?" Rin almost whispered, running the pad of his thumb over a dark circle forming under his brother's identical irises. "You're stressing yourself out. Before you know it, you may just kick me out…" His low, playful laugh contradicted the fear and heartache lying dormant behind his glowing blue eyes.

The warm smile strained under the muscular desire to frown, causing the half-demon to turn away before said action could be seen. His gaze dropped to the floor, and his thin eyebrows pulled downwards, eyelids falling halfway down in the process.

With an expression full of truth and meaning, the brunet replied, "That'll never happen."

Rin smiled, or at least tried to. "I know. Now let me go finish dinner before you die of starvation." He made his way to the bedroom door, tail swishing side to side, and stopped. He glanced backwards, "If he starts crying or being a bother, just come and get me. I'll take him." And with that, the raven-haired boy disappeared from the room; his melancholy presence resonated within the shared dorm room and encircled the remaining man, giving him an ominous chill.

Watching the dark-haired twin leave the room, yet again to handle a task, the younger twin found himself thinking back to the schedule with the long list of activities his brother planned to follow. If it wasn't the demonic creature stealing his partner's attention, it was other duties like cooking or doing homework (which the young doctor was fully aware would probably not get done, resulting in failing grades).

But then, it donned on him.

The young brunet was not mentioned at all in his brother's oh-so-busy routine. His name appeared nowhere nor was even included in the "Ingenious" plan.

For about the tenth time that day, the brunet's face fell. The next thing he did was something he did best – he swallowed his emotions. No emotions meant no feelings, and that was just how Yukio liked it.

If his doppelganger didn't want to spend time with him, then so be it. He wouldn't stand in the way of his twin's precious, more important, responsibilities.

* * *

**Author's Note:**Yeah... sorry nothing really happened in this chapter. It's all building up. Thanks to those who reviews/faved/alerted. It means a lot to me. So, please review! They encourage me to write more!


	3. DoubleEdged Sword Brandished Over Our

**Author's Note: **Sorry… work kicked my ass, so this is a few hours late. Buuuttt, I stayed up extra late to get this chapter to you! Don't get too excited, it sucks. Next chapter, things will start to get rolling. So stay tuned. Enjoy!

* * *

Double-Edged Sword Brandished Over Our Heads

Dinner was rather quiet that night. Both parties ate in the decently sized cafeteria. Sometimes, the duo forgot that they shared an entire dormitory just to themselves, so the "dining room" they ate in was actually oversized and had uncomfortable seats. All in all, it was good enough for the twenty minutes they spent sitting in it.

The meal concluded the same way it had started – in silence. Yukio picked up the napkin to the right of his empty bowl and plate, wiped his mouth clean, and stood from the lunchroom's table. "I've got a lot of work to do, Rin." He said.

"I know." Rin murmured around the last bit of his food. He reached forward and grabbed the glass to the left of his form. As the halfbreed emptied it contents, his twin spoke.

"I'm going to head upstairs."

Rin stood from his seat, as well, and began collecting the dishes in a neat pile. "Yeah, I've got the dishes. I'll be up in a second. Tell Kuro I've got his share of the dinner for watching Jun. He can come down and get it."

The four-eyed teen nodded his head with no further expression or emotion.

As soon as the tall Exorcist was out of the room, Rin allowed his eyes to mist over. He brought the dirty utensils to the kitchen area and plopped them in the sink. The loud clattering sound was soon followed by a waterfall that streamed from the faucet above. Rin assumed his duty of petty housewife and began scrubbing what remained on the white platters.

The running water matched the liquid that glided from the young man's eyes. His heart could handle the disappointed looks, the chastisements, and the occasional insults that resulted from his younger brother's annoyment; however, between yesterday and today, the emotions that had entered and exited his body exhausted his façade, leaving nothing to hold back the heartache. Especially since the dinner seemed to drag by unusually slow. Rin took pride in what his talented hands could produce, and it usually added points to his ego when his hard working twin was pleased with his meals. But tonight was unbelievably different.

Yukio was silent for most of the meal. He did not compliment, comment, or even smile while the two sat at the table. Just the soft clinking of utensils against bowls floated through the air while the two ate. It was very unsettling, and it had the raven-haired teen sinking in his seat with the weight of his woeful predicament.

Clear sadness cascaded down Rin's pale skin, dripping from his chin to land in the water below. They mixed together with the soapy fluid while Rin scrubbed away the filth from the plates and bowls. When the tears accumulated to the point of blurring his vision, the back of a wrist was brought upwards to wipe them away.

"Ne, Rin, why are you crying?" A voice resounded to the left. Startled, the dark-haired teen released the sponge and dish, letting them drop to the bottom of the sink in a clattering mess.

"Oh – Kuro," Rin chirped in faux excitement, "what do you mean? I'm not crying." The black Neko deity gave a skeptical look to his master. His red-rimmed orbs and tear-smudged face didn't have the cat convinced in the least. Rin turned back to his task; he picked up the yellow and green sponge and began lathering up the same dish he was working on before. "Look, I'm fine." He said after rinsing the ceramic saucer and placing it on the drying rack. "Your food is over there, so help yourself." A bent thumb gestured to the right where a tiny, plastic bowl sat on the counter a little ways away.

Green spheres swiveled up to gaze at the concentrated face. "Rin…" the Familiar called. However, as it was made clear by the tense aura, the man was not going to continue the conversation. Kuro slowly padded his way over to the cool food that lied within his food dish and nibbled on the rice and meat blend.

As the two worked away in silence, a few sniffling noises made their way into the small kitchen area. It wasn't soon after that Rin threw his arms up and buried his face in his wet hands. His body trembled while trying to stifle the sobs echoing in his chest. Finally slamming his hands down onto the edge of the sink, the seventeen-year old whimpered, "I can't take it anymore… I can't…" The sudden action caused the furry cat to spin around and stare at his Master – as well as catch the attention of a certain purple-headed, horned kitchen demon. The mini-cook crept out from behind a large, black container that held some sort of unknown spice, and positioned himself next to Kuro. "What the hell does he want from me? I'm trying my best – and he goes and pulls something like that?" Rin's mouth was pulled back in a sneer, his pointed canines visible in the low light of the kitchen.

The miniscule demons perched upon the countertop glanced at one another before looking back to their friend. It was Ukobach that spoke first. Of course, to anyone else, his voice was just a repetition of tiny, annoying squeaks varying in degrees and pitches. But to the human-turned-demon, he could understand every word.

"What do you mean, Ukobach? Does it look like I'm alright?" The teen barked. Noticing his error the moment it was made, Rin dropped his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking my anger out on you. It's just, lately Yukio's been acting so distant, and I don't know why."

Kuro walked forward. "_Maybe it's because of Jun._"

"No, even before that." Rin countered, wiping at one of his eyes and switching to another dish to clean. Kuro's fuzzy head rubbed against his Master's forearm in a soothing manner. "Maybe it's just me, but I've been thinking lately – about me and Yukio. Like, what he plans on doing after high school and whatnot. There's no way I can follow him to college." The big-eared, purple demon stepped forward and threw in advice, to which the satanic spawn responded. "Well, I don't know. Right now, this dorm is our home. At the end of this year, we'll be forced to move out – and Yukio will most likely move into a college dorm. I won't have Mephisto to bend the rules for me and I can't rack up scholarships like Yukio can. This will most likely be mine and Yukio's last year together."

Two more tears fell, unrestrained, from blue eyes. "_Rin, I'm sure Yukio is just –_"

Rin interrupted his Familiar with a quick turn of his head. His eyes gleamed with the sadness shed, and twinkled with something akin to a melancholy laced strength. "I need you two more than ever right now." The raven-haired male said. Ukobach and Kuro stared up at their friend in curiosity. "I need you two to help me take care of Jun. I know you guys can do it. Kuro, if you can become one of the guardians of True Cross Academy, then you can easily watch over a baby, right?" Before the nekotama could answer, Rin's attention swiveled to the kitchen demon. "And Ukobach, if you can put up with that clown Mephisto's childish behaviour, than surely you could deal with a baby who only needs the basics. There should be no problem! Right?" Rin's face begged for his two friends to confirm that his hopes were true. An apprehensive, yet quick, nod of their heads had the satanic offspring relaxing his tense muscles. A smile twitched on his lips. "Thanks guy. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Hands dug back into the remaining few dishes and resumed their cleansing mission. A satisfied smile graced his lips while a content hum wove its way through the sigh emitted from his throat.

Ukobach and Kuro were left standing on the counter. Apprehensive stares were thrown at each other; neither wanted to upset the Son of Satan, although, they couldn't help but sense a building amount of distress radiating from their dark-haired friend.

* * *

Soft footsteps resonated down a long, concrete hall. Swirling a pair of black scissors around a stiff finger, Rin strode into the shared room, whistling a tune from a Western song he liked a lot.

The air in the dorm shifted, indicating another's presence, and the brunet turned slightly in his chair. His body was seated at his desk with a pencil in hand and textbooks and notebooks strewn across its surface.

Rin did not even glance at his twin. He gripped the scissors in his hand and picked up the plastic bag containing all of the newborn pajamas, then made his way over to his bunk where the sleeping infant laid. The teen plopped himself on the floor, back against the drawers connected to the bottom of his bed, and pulled out the first outfit he could find.

Yukio averted his attention back to his work with a _humph_, sensing the cold shoulder. If Rin wanted to act like that then fine – he had too much work to do to be worrying over something as trivial as the silent treatment.

Both men remained soundless, save for the occasional rustling of the plastic bag and the _skrit skrit_ of pencil on paper. The sun outside the window began its daily descent behind the distant mountains; the sky turned its usual pinkish orange and the birds chirped their final farewells before being replaced with the nightly crickets.

Rin snipped away at the seam connecting the rear end of pajamas, cutting a small hole where Jun's tail could easily slip through. He would need to eventually take care of the set of night clothes that the baby currently inhabited, lest he wake in the middle of the night, screaming his head off like he had this afternoon. However, every time a new set of clothes were revealed, the raven-haired teen couldn't help the small smile that cracked through his indifferent façade. The first two items taken out of the plastic bags had been the same variation of pajamas that adorned Jun now, except in the colours green and yellow. The last two completely took the Exorcist-in-training by surprise – they were actual outfits. One was a red shirt, blue jean ensemble. The red shirt had a pair of overly-cute, brown bears holding hands in the center with dark blue outlining the sleeve cuffs and hem. The other outfit was a pale yellow, long-sleeved shirt with black pants. In the bottom right corner of the shirt, a little green turtle smiled up a shining sun.

A fuzzy warmth filled Rin's chest at the sight of the unexpected articles – it was more than enough to have sleeping-wear for Jun, Rin was not expecting to come across actual _baby clothes_ in these bags. _How much money did Yukio spend on this stuff,_ the demon wondered, picking up the pair of scissors and making a small incision on the first outfit's pants. He glanced at the price tag that dangled off the waistband and faltered a bit. The bottom of the white tag had been ripped off, leaving a jagged edge. Rin set the completed pair of jeans down and picked up the last pair. Holding up the clothing, the fanged male noticed how the same went for that price tag too. Its edge had been ripped clean. _Why would Yukio…_ He mentally trailed off.

Positioning the scissors once more, the dark-haired teen contemplated the actions of his partner. Yukio would only tear the prices off if he didn't want the older male to know how much it cost, but why would he do that? Was Yukio afraid that the cost would have some type of effect on how much Rin liked them? … Or was it that Yukio simply did not want his brother finding out how much the clothes cost? Did he not want Rin knowing how much he spent on the items that he himself begged his lover to buy?

Soft, blue eyes glanced up at the man stationed at his desk. His hand held one spot in his book while the other copied down whatever it said. Yukio's concentrated stare flickered back and forth between the text and his notes. With an unforeseen curiosity, the brunet swiveled his eyes in the direction of his sitting twin.

The sudden action caused Rin's hand to slip, and instead of clipping the synthetic jean material, he ran a line up the pad of his thumb. As soon as the pain registered in his mind, the scissors were dropped to the floor along with the newborn pants. "_Shit!"_ He called out and enveloped the wound in his other palm out of reflex. The sweat from his hand burned the cut on his thumb, making him crush together his eyelids in pain.

"Let me look at it." A voice commanded. Rin pried open his eyes and flinched backwards at Yukio, who now sat crouched in front of his form.

"I'm fine." Rin retorted. He felt his palm growing wetter and stickier by the second.

"I'll have to clean it." Yukio said, eyeing the way Rin clutched at his thumb. The Exorcist stood and walked back to his desk, reaching for something on its right side.

"It's gonna heal in little bit anyway, so I don't know what you're getting it for." The satanic male responded. His younger twin did not answer; he strode back to his brother's side just in time for a thin line of blood to slowly trickle down Rin's wrist.

"Open your hand." The brunet stated bluntly as a cotton ball on the end of a pair of tweezers was doused in peroxide.

"No." Rin stated just as plainly, scowling at his brother.

Yukio sighed at his stubborn opposite. "After all of the things I've done for you today, you still find some reason to defy me."

The words of the young doctor caused Rin's ears to perk up. With great resentment, the older twin unwrapped his hand from his bleeding wound and presented the mess to the awaiting man. Yukio wasted no time in grabbing ahold of the bleeding appendage, as if his twin might change his mind if he didn't.

Now came the part that Rin hated the most – the glasses-clad genius pressed the stinging substance to the cut and rubbed it back and forth. Blue irises scrunched up in discomfort at the burning sensation, whimpering in his throat. "Stop acting like such a child." Yukio lightly chastised. "You'll throw yourself in the line of fire, but God forbid anybody actual tries to help you out with your wounds."

"I said it's fine. I can feel it starting to heal. You're just wasting your supplies on me."

To this, Yukio gave a harsh tug on his lover's wrist. "Don't you _ever_ say that." The seriousness of his tone caught the raven-haired teen off-guard. He looked up into identical blue eyes with a puzzled expression. "Don't say I'm wasting supplies on you, because I never am." The Exorcist went back to cleaning up the blood, switching to the other hand were a big smudge of red liquid began drying. "So what if you heal fast? I can still help you."

As the wet cotton ball glided over the demon's skin, he took in the sight of the brunet's agitated face. His words rang through the wounded man's head like a car horn in a tunnel. He slumped back against the drawers of his bed and spied the cut on his thumb that fell open on its own accord, no longer bleeding profusely. "Boy," Rin laughed in a breath, "I didn't know scissors could be so dangerous." He hoped to change the subject to something a little lighter.

Yukio's azure eyes glanced to the open wound. "Well, seeing as you're stronger than you give yourself credit for, I'm not all that surprised. I'm more impressed that you didn't manage to cut your entire thumb off, honestly." He lifted his brother's bloodied arm and gently ran the sanitized swab up the small streak of blood.

"That's good," Rin smiled, "because I don't think you'd be able to fix that with a cotton ball." To this, Yukio perked his head up and looked to his brother. A small laugh erupted from throat at the obvious statement – but what more could you expect from the spawn of Satan? You only received obvious answers. Rin joined in on the laughter and smiled warmly. He was completely pleased that he could get his younger brother to laugh with just a few simple words, effectively exchanging his cold demeanor for an uplifted one.

Soon, his skin was dried, and a bandage was placed over the cut. On any other person, an incision like that would've called for stiches, but Rin was not just any other person. Even though his injury warranted a lot of blood, it could already been seen by the surrounding crust that the abrasion was already healing on its own.

As the young doctor placed his materials back into the white, metal emergency kit, the raven-haired twin's eyes wondered from his brother's form, to a glinting object perched on his desk a couple feet away. The setting sun's orange rays pierced through the window and threw off a tiny, gleaming sparkle of blue that shined in Rin's eyes.

There, on the corner of the wooden table, sat an empty infant's bottle. Its azure colour mixed with the orange sun and gave it an odd murky tint.

But how did it get up there?

Rin turned his attention back to the crouched male, who flicked the silver clasp down and locked up the medical accessories for use for another time. "Hey, Yukio." Rin soflty called. Blue eyes, hidden behind round rectangles of glass, glanced upwards at the name. "Did you take the bottle out of Jun's mouth?"

Yukio looked away from his twin. "Uh – yeah."

A smile almost tore the demon's face in two – bordering on creepy. His fangs twinkled in the evening light, giving off a nearly angelic glow. _That means Yukio must've been paying at least a little attention to Jun… enough to notice his bottle was empty,_ Rin contemplated. Just as the trained Exorcist made a move to stand, arms circled around his torso, followed by a pair of legs that did the same, and clung to his body for dear life. The hug squeezed the air from Yukio's lungs as a tuff of black hair wiggled on his chest. The sensation tickled Yukio's ribs, causing him to try and pry his way out of the stone vice.

Rin held tight to his taller twin and leaned his left cheek against the fabric covering his twin's chest. A muffled thumping noise echoed within Yukio's chest, matching the same reverberation in Rin's; and with that slight thrumming bubbled up a sentence that the black-haired teen had been afraid to utter all day. "I love you."

That slightly mumbled sentence, those three little words, made the brunet's heart stop completely – though at the same time it sped up. The man sitting on the floor, with his arms and legs entangled around the young doctor's body, was the _only_ person on this earth that could cause such a phenomenon to occur. Yukio couldn't quite figure out how something like that could happen, but he also did little to question it.

A graceful hand, so skilled in exorcising demons, knotted itself in black hair and tenderly leaned the connected head backwards. Lips pressed against together in a soothing elegance of love and mercy as the two surrendered to one another. Fingers gripped at the back of the kneeling man's shirt in a death grip. Lips parted and wiggled around, savouring the taste that could only be theirs. Crystal clear liquid seeped up over the edge of closed lids and flowed down the adjacent skin.

Yukio stopped. He pulled away from his twin and wiped at the older male's cheek. "Why are you…?"

Rin's body jerked with each repressed sob. He looked up to the glasses-clad man that he had spent the majourity of his life with. Shaking his head, the demon said, "Don't ever leave me."

"Who ever said I was leaving?" Yukio questioned, pressing his trembling lover back into his chest. It was his turn to deliver a crushing embrace. "Sorry to break it to you, but you're stuck with me for a while."

Rin buried his face into his brother's shirt even more. "I hate it when we argue…"

"And you think I enjoy it?" Yukio felt the form in his arms shift and his head tilted towards the bed. The taller man followed where his brother's gaze landed. The infant, known as Jun, slept peacefully on the empty mattress. He sighed slightly at the new source of his twin's attention.

"I just want you to trust me on this." Rin finally mumbled. He turned his head back to Yukio. "I've got a good feeling about this – but I still like to know that you're by my side."

"Rin…" The brunet trailed off. "This is all very new to me. I'm almost convinced you've gone insane." To this, the raven-haired teen pouted. Yukio smiled down at his brother's childish act. "But, no matter how… _unsettling_ this is for me, I'm not going to leave you over it." Rin looked up to his younger twin, and after a few moments, nodded in appreciation and he wiped at the dried water marks on his cheeks. "Good. Now," Yukio stood, "I have to finish up my work. And I do believe you have work to complete, too." That same pout returned to the fledglings face. "Don't give me that look. Just because you decided to play 'mommy' that doesn't automatically make your work disappear."

"I could dream, couldn't I?"

Rin watched as his taller brother walked back to his work station, replaced the medical kit, and sat down. A quiet breathing caused Rin's ears to twitch upwards and his head to spin to the side. The tiny bundle situated under the brand new blanket whimpered lightly in his sleep. His tired eyes opened for a moment, gazed around, then gently fell back into place.

The teen demon climbed up onto the bed ever-so carefully and looked down on the defenseless child. "Nah, I don't really like the title 'Mommy,'" he declared, folding his arms, "I prefer '_Daddy_,' as I am a boy. We don't wanna confuse the poor little guy." Rin then turned his attention to the observing azure orbs of his opposite, now focused on his words. He extended a long finger in the brunet's direction, "And you can be '_Papa_!'"

Yukio flinched at the intimate term. Something about the title made his stomach flop and his hair stand on end. He turned back to his work. "Don't be ridiculous, Rin. You're speaking as if it's your child – which it's not." Yukio reminded. "And besides, I said it could stay here temporarily. Just until we find out what to do with it."

"Yeah, yeah." Rin replied. Just then, Jun's body jerked, startling both child and teen alike. The infant's eyes shot open, revealing those familiar yellow eyes as another spasm thrummed through the smaller's body. A crying spell soon followed, interrupted by those jolts and making him emit a sort of popping noise. "Aw," Rin frowned, "you've got the hiccups." He positioned the tip of his finger on his chin, raising a brow as he thought aloud, "Was I supposed to burp you after your bottle?"

Taking responsibility, the Rin gingerly placed his hands under Jun's back and lifted him up. Remembering how the pajamas did not have a hole cut for the hidden tail, Rin speculated that that could also attribute to Jun's sour attitude. He whispered condolences and patted the child's back. The mattress creaked with his departure, and he picked up the long, black shears that lay on the floor next to the finished infant wear. "Yukio." Rin called out to his brother.

"What is it now, Rin?" With the presence of the crying child, his brother could only want one thing.

"I need your help real quick." Cerulean eyes locked while Jun continued to spasm and cry weakly on Rin's blue shirt. Rin held out the pair of scissors to his twin and spoke, "I need you to cut a hole in Jun's clothes for his tail." Yukio's look was one of undesirability. Rin shook the scissors in his partner's face while holding Jun with the other. "Look, either I cut the hole and you hold Jun or vice versa. Either way he's not gonna stop crying until his tail is free. Then I promise no more distractions." Rin ended his sentence with a wink.

Yukio begrudgingly raised a hand and grasped the metal end of the shears. "Where?" He quickly asked. Jun's blue clothing was pinched just a little higher than the top of his rear and held out to the brunet.

"Right here." Yukio pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and squeezed his index finger and thumb around the taut fabric. He leaned in carefully, a tense air surrounding him as he drew the open blades closer. "Don't cut his tail." Rin warned with a smile. "Or else you'll be breaking that medical kit back out." He waggled his injured thumb from under Jun's behind.

"I'm not going to." Yukio deadpanned. He brought his attention back to the tiny spot; he felt as though he was prepping for a delicate surgery – something he had only dreamed of doing. Of course, he was too uneducated in his medical abilities to actual perform such a job, but one day he hoped to grow into a fantastic doctor, able to succeed at any task set in front of him.

From underneath the blue material, Yukio could make out the faint outline of a worm-like appendage. It wiggled this way and that. With a steady hand, the young teen snipped the clothing in half with eyes watching precisely where said tail scurried in case he needed to abort the mission.

In a few moments time, a few pieces of discarded blue fabric lay solemnly inside the rough palm of the brunet. Rin wasted no time digging into the new opening and lightly pinching the thin, black limb that lied beneath the surface. Pulling gently, the tail drooped outside its confines, twitching back and forth. "There, there…" Rin soothed and rubbed the infant's back. Jun's arms and legs kicked and jerked in lethargic manners while the hiccups hitched in his throat. Yukio placed the scissors inside a desk drawer, turning back to his work. "Thank you, _Papa Yukio_." Rin chuckled and winked.

Yukio shook his head at the name. He then stood from his seat and, without turning his head, asked, "What about that homework?" He stalked over to the hoard of store bags, scanned them, then plucked a small, plastic oval from one of them.

"You forget – you said I could go on the mission last night if I got it all done."

Yukio held out the blue oval out to his partner. "You invited yourself, as I've said already. Here, try this." Rin spied the pacifier held between his brother's two fingers. He turned slightly so Jun's creased expression faced Yukio.

"I still got it done, didn't I?" Rin then gently bounced the whining infant, gesturing for the Exorcist to place the object in the baby's mouth. With a slight grimace, Yukio placed the brownish rubber end reluctantly next to Jun's parted lips and eased it in. The child's voice became muffled until he closed his mouth and sucked on the foreign object.

Yukio pulled his hand away as soon as Jun stopped crying. "As long as it's finished, then I guess you have the rest of the night to yourself." The young teen then made his way to his desk. "Though, I still have work that needs to be finished."

Rin switched between patting Jun's back to rubbing in circles while the hiccups waned. "And we promise to be quiet. Jun'll probably go back to sleep now anyway, and I'm gonna clean up this mess." His eyes arced to the store-bought supplies that still lay within the bedroom door.

Yukio picked up the pencil that rested in the binding of his open textbook and resumed his studious demeanor. "Just be careful with that pacifier. I only bought one, so you better not lose it."

The opposite male nodded, and then went about his business, leaving his younger brother to study and map out future lectures for his classes.

For the next short while, Rin sat on his bed, rocking the quiet bundle in his arms. When the child finally chose the black view behind his eyelids over the darkening room, and took up a peaceful rest, his caretaker positioned him comfortably on the bed and covered him with the murky yellow plush blanket. His hiccups long since diminished, Jun now found himself sleeping undisturbed once more.

Rin entertained himself by gathering up the giant box that had been left downstairs. Of course, with his strength, the task was simple. The young demon lifted the box over his head and proceeded to climb the stairs like he was holding air.

Although, putting the bassinet together was a whole different story.

Rin was half expecting the mini-crib to be premade, however he soon discovered the white metal bars, bag of screws, and white direction pamphlet indicated that his assumption was wrong. And for the next hour or so, he worked furiously to try and fit the elongated tubes together. _How do these become that?_ Rin felt himself pondering in anger while gazing at the completed picture on the directions, then at the mess of undone cylinders on the floor. He contemplated asking Yukio for help, but decided against it once he caught sight of his twin's concentrated stare as he read through a book.

_This piece to that one… that one to this one… scratch that it's _that_ one to this one… _Little by little, and with much groaning and finger pinching, the young teen was finally getting somewhere in this work. Every so often, his eyes glanced from Jun resting on his bed, to the man seated at the desk, hoping the clanking metal bars weren't being too noisy or distracting for the other people in the room.

The satanic offspring was oblivious to the wandering eyes that sometimes fell on his form as he worked to piece together the contraption. The blue orbs shielded by thin pieces of glass watched the blue-haired male crouch, scratch his head, then snatch up the white pamphlet to read it once more. He scanned the text before looking back to the somewhat assembled bassinet. Yukio's lips twitched upwards slightly at the sight; he turned his eyes back to his work, in which he lost track of time and the outside world around him. His High School work long since finished, he was now skimming through his work schedule and plotting down topics to discuss in his upcoming lectures. Rin was no longer in Yukio's cram school class, seeing as the man only teaches First Year students, but he still enjoyed helping his older brother out whenever he could.

It would be a lie if Yukio said he didn't miss seeing Rin in his afternoon class, however it was something that had to happen, so there was no point in dwelling on the fact. And from the reports of the other teachers, nothing about Rin's attitude had changed much. He was still the same old lazy, absent-minded, impatient student that he was in his first year at True Cross.

And with those characteristics, it made it all the more impossible for Yukio to believe this little "house game" Rin picked up was nothing more than a phase. It was only the first day and things seemed to be going well, although the brunet was not at all convinced his elder could keep up this pace – especially when Rin would have to deal with schooling, homework, chores, _and_ a child on top of all that.

And those missions Rin loved to follow the Exorcist on? Forget about it. Those days would be long gone.

Speaking of missions, what about Satan? What about his brother's proclaimed dream of one day defeating their father? There was no way the dimwit would be able to pursue that fantasy with a child around.

No, this routine would not last long, Yukio was sure of it. There was too much on his partner's plate, he just had yet to realize it. Yukio gave his brother a week, maybe two, and he would be ready to talk coherently about this situation. Rin may not like what the outcome would have to come down to, but where else could the child go? They would bring the attention of the demon infant to the Counsel, and let them take it from there.

_The sooner Rin realizes his mistake, the easier it will be for him to give that thing up._ Yukio tapped his pen against the open book that recorded his work schedule. Each day had a list of topics listed inside the lined boxes, some crossed out and replaced with different topics. Tomorrow, his class would be discussing a mid-level demon's miasmatic effects and the proper way to administer an herbal mixture when coming into contact with such substance. Perhaps he'd administer a quiz by the end of the week… and should he inform the class or make it a surprise –

"I got it!"

The loud declaration had the four-eyed male jumping in his seat. He wiped his head around to see the bewildered expression of his other half, hand clamped over his fanged mouth in an attempt to call back his outburst. Rin's blue eyes looked from both his brother to Jun, who laid on the bed in a soundless sleep. He removed his hand and squeaked out an apology. "I guess I got a little excited, but look, I figured out how to put it together!" The raven-haired demon extended two hands towards the newly assembled bassinet. A white cloak covered the outside of the little bed resting atop metal bars that reached to the floor. The four wheels on the bottom matched the colour perfectly, making the whole thing stand out brightly against their darkening room. Yukio noticed how hard it was to see in their room and flicked on the lamp to his right. A soft glow lit up the teen's workspace and gradually faded across the entire area. He watched as Rin observed the new piece of furniture and, glancing back to the picture on the front of the cardboard box, making sure the two matched perfectly. He then reached out a hand, gripped the rim of the bassinet, and gave it a gentle shake. "Seems pretty stable. I guess you're not the only genius around here." Rin beamed a conceited smile to his younger twin. "It's kind of girly though."

"That was the only kind they had, so it was either that or no bed at all." Yukio commented, going back to his work.

Rin vaguely shrugged his shoulders, then began to clean the area of ripped, clear plastic bags with choking hazard warnings printed in black. He stuffed them back inside the bassinet box, and brought it to the door for a later disposal. Making quick work of the last of his chores, Rin picked as many items as he could carry from the store bags and began putting them away. Most of the items were placed on the shelf above the coatrack on Rin's side of the room; usually Yukio's coat, along with the demonic teen's school uniform jacket were hung on the long metal pole below the shelf and it always looked so bare above it. But now, with the diapers, wipes, and two spare bottles, it looked livelier. Rin picked up the last remaining outfits on the bedroom floor and, after _carefully_ making the last incision on the black pair of jeans, he folded them up and positioned the clothing on the shelf next to the rest of the infant essentials. That specific shelf was now dubbed "Jun's shelf" by the fanged male. His tail swished from side to side with every step he took around the small room in excitement.

Finally, with a content sigh, Rin made his way over to the sleeping baby and carefully slipped him into gentle arms. Jun's tiny fists jerked by the sides of his head with the unexpected movement, causing Rin to shush the infant lightly. Jun gave a weak moan and kicked out his right leg as his caretaker held him to his chest. A hand supported the child's head while Rin gently swayed at a slow pace. Jun's tail hung from the newly made incision, limply swinging along with the older man's movements. Rin noted the tiny appendage and brought his own up to poke and tickle at its droopy appearance.

As the bigger tail hugged the smaller one, Rin felt his chest warm with a mixture of delight and bliss when he felt Jun's almost-hairless extremity twitch and return the act of fondness.

From across the room, a pink blush was forming just under glass spectacles. The owner to such specs stared at the subtle view of such tender touches and caresses. Yukio could hold it no longer as he watched his partner hold the demonic infant with not only his arms, but his tail too; _Rin is absolutely adorable!_ The educator's hands shook, and were soon shoved under his bottom and sat upon. He tried to focus on the messy schedule on his desk, but was at a loss. Yukio hated when his brother acted so unbelievably cute, for it made the teen experience his perverted and taboo tendencies. He rather try and pretend he was a normal human being with a normal human life.

That was far from the case, however.

Finally, with a pleased smile, Rin stepped forward and positioned Jun inside his new bed. Replacing the pacifier that had fallen out of the infant's mouth, the satanic spawn ran the right side of his hand down soft, pink skin before planting a kiss to the demon baby's temple.

A tannish blanket was then draped over the sleeping form, and as it settled, it rose and fell along with every inhale and exhale of the covered chest. The teen kindly removed his tail from around the other's and tucked it under the plush fabric. A yawn escaped passed chapped lips at the sight of the sleeping infant.

Rin scratched the back of his head at the end of his slow exhale, eyes taking note of the dark, cloudy sky. The grey puffs glided across the black veil at a slow pace, sometimes revealing the glowing orb illuminating the darkness, before being consumed again.

It seemed the day had went by so fast, yet so slow.

Rin glanced at Jun one last time, then strolled over to his brother. "He sure sleeps a lot." The shorter man commented. He rested his elbows on the side of Yukio's desk and supported his chin in his upturned palms.

Yukio continued to write things down in his planner. "It's still a newborn. Give it a week, it'll have you going so much you'll be too exhausted to move."

Rin's blue irises stared down at his younger twin's scrawled handwriting, watching as he brought a free hand up to scratch at the skin just below his earlobe, then place it back on the desk. The older Okumura leaned forward and captured said lobe with his teeth, giving it a light tug. "I could say the same for you." He whispered into the ear.

Yukio leaned into the tongue that caressed his skin on instinct, closing his eyes and dipping into the forbidden tingle that spread down neck and spine. A soft hum indicated his approval, encouraging the dark-haired teen to carry on. With the turn of a head, lips pressed together; Rin slid from the side of the desk and slithered onto his brother's lap. The two moved their mouths in sync with one another in an experienced act of skill.

Rin's arms wrapped around Yukio's neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. "You know, I still owe you for being a good Papa and helping Jun out."

Pulling away, the brunet frowned at the man seated on is lap. "Don't call me such names." He grumbled. The opposite just smiled and slipped a hand under his twin's shirt, lightly tracing lean muscle with the tips of his fingers. Yukio hummed in the back of his throat. "Offering promiscuous services in exchange for goods and items… I think they have a word for that, Rin." Yukio chuckled at the sour appearance his brother's face took on.

"Yeah – it's called 'returning a favour out of kindness.' You should try it sometime, Four-Eyes. Now keep quiet. If you're too loud, and Jun wakes up, then we can't do this anymore. We'll have to wait until he falls back to sleep." The disgruntled exhale that seeped from Yukio's throat had Rin smirking in amusement, before the kiss resumed.

As the stars twinkled brightly in the dark blue sky, and the lamp switched to off position, the pair of lovers slowly submitted to one another. The stress from the last two days completely slipped from their systems, just as their clothes did.

The rest of the night was centered around the two. It was filled with stifled moans, flushing faces, and sticky skin. They couldn't deny what made them feel so good; both were entirely familiar with the other's body, and therefore knew what to do and where to touch.

They fit perfectly into one. That was just how they liked it. And when the time came where neither could take any more of the onslaught, they finished with hushed calls, gripping for dear life to soiled bed sheets.

The two shortly fell asleep afterwards. Their bodies drained and buzzing with warm satisfaction, the two satanic spawns delighted in the heavy blanket of slumber that draped heavily over their minds.

Neither was aware of the black crow that sat outside the dorm window, eyeing the bassinet with the sleeping form inside of it. It's black, beady eyes spied the child, giving out a weak _caw_ before taking flight and soaring into the night sky. Its wings carried the black bird into a faraway place, somewhere on the other side of town. It disappeared into a high-up forest where a deformed hole slumped in on one side of a mountain wall. An unexpected visitor took up refuge in this home, to which the bird flew in. A small pond lay inside this stalagmite infested cave, right next to a manmade fire. Short, white hair dripped with the clear water that an attached body was immersed in. The wounds and burns from a recent attack stung as they healed in the sparkling liquid, illuminated by the fire.

The bird hopped on two skinny legs over to the small body of water.

A pale arm reached up, creating ripples in the water, and touched at the scorch mark from a strange paper thrown by a man last night. Yellow eyes winced at the finger that probed at delicate, wounded skin. The remains of fish skeletons and small animals littered the area, some still impaled on sticks on the outskirts of the blazing fire.

His damaged body healed at a gradual pace, to the form's dismay. _I became too cocky,_ the demon contemplated. His thoughts traveled to a not-so long ago time…

The body of an old, decrepit man hung from a stone wall. His dry, wrinkled skin split and cracked from his ankles and wrists where the metal cuffs were attached. He was chained, unable to move for a long period of time. The centuries that the man endured, strapped to that wall, were unbearable. If he had been any normal man, then he most certainly would have died.

Just when the aging man thought he would not be able to take anymore punishment, a small glimmer of hope washed over his deteriorating mind. A voice was heard talking just outside the wooden door – something the withering creature hadn't heard in many, many years.

He called out to the voice. The creature was surprised at the roughness his own throat produced. It was almost like he was gargling sand.

The unknown person was hesitant to enter. "There are chains around this door. And the Lord has forbidden any entry." They had said.

The old man begged. He pleaded. "_Please_, the only thing I wish for is a simple glass of water. I beg of you." It took much imploring, and eventually the voice left.

Just when the brittle being thought his only chance had run away, they returned. He could see the shadow of feet beneath the door and heard a rustling of heavy chains, similar to the sound his made whenever he yanked of moved his arms and legs.

Finally, with much force, the old, rickety door creaked open. Dust from centuries passed fluttered into the air. A ray of light shined into the room and grew as the door opened wider. It was the first brightness the man had seen in years. Almost ironically, the old man imagined it to be the light of the angels smiling down on his winkled, sunken in face.

A cup was held out before his face. Yellow eyes took in the sight of the clear liquid, held by a small hand. His glowing orbs took in the sight of his savior. A tiny woman, sporting an odd black dress stood before him. The cuffs of her dress were lined with white – the same white that outlined the black headdress she wore.

"Hold it to my mouth, please." The old man had rasped.

Reluctantly, the woman complied. As she drew her hand near, the heart rate of the chained form sped up. The suspense rose, like the man expected the mysterious woman to retreat at any moment. Just as the rim of the glass touched a pair of cracked lips, a glimmer of a golden metal twinkled before his eyes. A symbol of the Holy Lord in Heaven hung from a chain around the woman's neck.

Wetness caressed his lips. The sensation hugged his body, enveloping him in a sudden liveliness that buzzed through his veins. The substance slithered down his throat. He greeted the old friend by greedily lapping and gulping down the liquid as quickly as he could.

His skin bubbled back to life. The cracks in his lips fused back together and resumed the healthy shade of pale pink. Wounds healed and wrinkles disappeared.

The now-younger male glared at the woman. Her eyes widened with shock at the male's transformation. "Y-You're a… _demon!_" She sputtered out, dropping the class and throwing her hands up to protect her horrified face.

Newly reformed arms tensed, then yanked forward. The metal chains snapped from the action. "Indeed, my dear. Don't think your kind deeds won't go unforeseen." With lightning fast speed, the white-haired demon sprang forth, gathered up the shocked female in his arms, and fled from the building.

The woman of God kicked and screamed for help, but all that stood in the creature's way were banished from the world, forever. "Who are you?" The woman shrieked, pounding her fists on the demon's back in a futile attempt at release. "What are you going to do with me?"

"How rude of me," he smiled, "I am Bas Celik. I have been locked inside that Holy Temple for many a year until you fed me water and restored some of my energy. I am forever indebted to you, young lady."

The black veil fell from the woman's head when the monster opened his large, ominous wings and took to the sky. Her long black hair waved from left to right in the intense wind. "Go to Hell, you demon!"

Bas Celik chuckled. "Oh, but we have _much _to do! Word on the street is that Satan has two offsprings living right in this very world."

"_What?_"

Another laugh. "Oh yes, my dear, it is true. So why don't we join in on the fun? If Lord Satan can achieve it, then I'm sure we can, too!"

The memories faded from the tall demon's mind as he slipped under the surface of the cold liquid. His muscles ached with every little movement made and the water stung his burns and abrasions. Bas Celik emerged a short while later, shaking his head and ridding the water spilling into his eyes. "Oh, you've finally returned." His velvet voice called, noticing the crow that had been waiting patiently for his master. The wet male stuck out a hand, extending a finger, in which the bird hopped onto. The hand was brought back to Bas Celik's face and he looked maliciously into his servant's pitch black orbs. "What kind of information have you brought me?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Someone in the reviews asked me if I named the child Jun after Yukio's voice actor. And yes, I did – I thought it very comical.

Yepp, I have no life.

Anyways, don't just fav – drop a review in there too! It makes me smile. What else would you like to see? More cuteness? More action? More sexay timez? I'm a very open person =]

**REVIEW!**

((P.S., I may be going away at the end of July on vacation, so the August chapter may not be out on the 1st… Sorryy… I'll update more on that in my next one-shot. I have so many started right now it's not even funny.))


End file.
